This Is Absolution
by LittleSin
Summary: Sequel to Proof Of Life. The Covenant was five, then four and now five again, but they are on a razor's edge. The Sons of Ipswich NEED to get past their differences long enough to cheat death a second time. Could this be... redemption? Rating may go to M.
1. Card 1: Page of Swords

**Special Note: **Okay, here is the first chapter to the sequel. I don't have much to say about it just yet accept I hope it's a good start and please review if you're so inclined. Thanks!

**This Is Absolution**

**Card 1: Page of Swords**

Caleb Danvers stood at the edge of the lawn that stretched out toward the woods beyond. He brought his cup of coffee to his lips and took a sip, narrowing his dark eyes curiously at the scene that played out before him.

The whispers from the other students broke the silence of that dark Ipswich morning. All dressed in their Spencer uniforms, they gathered next to Caleb and watched the police do their work.

Bright yellow caution tape spread out like snakes against the border woods, blocking off the crime scene and drawing attention to the spectacle of flashing lights and uniformed officers as they buzzed about this way and that.

"They're saying some girl was killed in the woods last night," a girl whispered to her friend as they stood behind Caleb.

Her friend gasped and nodded, "Yeah, I heard that she'd been ripped to shreds, like some animal had been at her or something."

Caleb took another sip of his coffee which was bitter and black and then focused on the crime scene. Pogue forced his way through the crowd and came up behind him taking in the action.

He flashed his green eyes to Caleb, "What do you think this is?" he asked as he looked over his shoulder and observed the gathering crowd.

Caleb shrugged, "Could be nothing, but you can never tell around here."

Pogue turned his attention back to the caution tape and police as they moved around and behind the tree trunks, collecting evidence and conferencing with the detectives. "Yeah, could be nothing… could be something."

"Yeah," Caleb nodded, "Could be something."

"Excuse me… excuse me," Sarah said softly as she edged her way towards Caleb and Pogue.

Caleb recognized her voice immediately and looked over his shoulder, catching her blond hair out of the corner of his eye. She came up beside him and smiled before her attention was drawn to the crime scene across the lawn.

She looked away and let out a breath. Then she reached out and took the cup of coffee from Caleb's hand and took a sip, "Oh my god, Caleb! How do you drink this stuff?" she gagged on the coffee and handed it back to him as she turned her head away in disgust.

Pogue let out a quiet laugh and Caleb smiled at her, "Serves you right for not asking first."

"Whatever," she said rolling her eyes and then snaked her arm through his as she cuddled against him. "What do you think happened out there? I heard some girl got killed last night. They said one of the gardeners found her early this morning and that she was all torn up like an animal had attacked her."

Caleb shrugged again, "I don't know, I just got here. I'm sure it's nothing though." He looked down at her with reassuring eyes. She shifted her eyes away.

"I've never heard of any indigenous predators in these parts that are big enough to take down a human…" Pogue said as he cocked his head to the side and studied the police behind the caution tape.

Caleb whipped his head around and stared at Pogue. It took a minute for him to realize Caleb was giving him a look and he turned his head slowly before be saw Caleb's eyes on him.

Pogue shuffled his feet with his hands in his pockets and looked down, "But, you know, I could be wrong."

Sarah smiled, "Its okay, Pogue. I get it. There's a possibility. I understand."

She let what she'd said linger in the air before looking up at Caleb, "I'm hungry. We should head over to the cafeteria before class starts. I want a bagel or something. Come on. This is creepy." She tugged Caleb by the arm and then looked at Pogue, "Are you coming?"

Pogue nodded, "Yeah, I'm coming," he said following after them.

He took one last look over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes. Caleb was being too nonchalant about this. Something wasn't right. It was in the air.

* * *

Chase's eyes darted to the front door as he saw the shadow cast across the cut glass. The jingle of keys echoed through the foyer and the door was forced open, letting the muted sunlight spread out over the marble floors.

Leona struggled with her key, finally pulling it out of the lock and then closed it behind her. She turned around slowly and as she raised her eyes from the task of putting her key back into her purse, Chase was revealed and standing before her.

She dropped her purse and jacket at once. They hit the floor with a thud and her mouth hung open in complete surprise. Could it really be him? Could it really be her little Chase?

Chase turned to face her and for a moment they were frozen in time as they didn't know how they should react to one another. Then Chase let the corners of his mouth ease up into that famous smile. "Hey, Leona. Long time, no see. How have you been?"

Tears began to sting her eyes and she let out a joyous gasp, "Oh my god… Chase… My little boy…" she ran up to him and threw her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. He had to bend down a little to hug her back as she only stood to the height of his chest and she sniffled softly, "I was so worried about you. You just disappeared and then they told me you were going to some other academy… Spencer, but you'd only stayed for two weeks and then disappeared again."

"I know… I'm sorry. I should have called or something," he said softly as he returned her hug. Being embraced by the housekeeper he'd known since he was 2 years old brought an incredible sense of comfort to him and he enjoyed feeling a hug from his plump little Leona again.

His confession that he should have called pulled her from her initial surprise and happiness that he'd returned and she became angry. She pulled him away from her and looked him the eyes directly, a slight motherly scow on her face, "You're damn right you should have called! I was so worried about you; you just left without a word! I should lay you out right now!"

Chase shrank back a little and remembered that not only was Leona a symbol of comfort, she was also a symbol of discipline.

He looked away and nodded, conceding, "I know, I'm sorry. I needed time to think and clear my head. I needed some space." He looked down at her, smiling again as he always knew that his smile would melt her heart, "But I'm back now and I'm so happy to see you. I missed you so much!" He pulled her to him and hugged her again. He felt her relax in his arms and his smile broadened. She was such a push over… his Leona.

She pulled away again wiping the tears from her reddened face and smiled, "Yes, you're back and everything is back to the way it should be." A thought occurred to her and she perked up, her eyes wide, "Have you eaten yet? You must be starving!" she whipped around him and headed out of the foyer and towards the kitchen, "I'll whip up some breakfast for you," she said, her voice fading down the hall. "I'll make your favorite!"

* * *

Reid and Tyler sat under the red maple tree directly adjacent to the caution tape across the lawn. Although the activity and personnel had thinned, there were still officers in the woods with their yellow raincoats reflecting against the cloud heavy sky.

Reid sat on the bench and leaned against the picnic table with one arm slung casually over it. He took a bite of his apple and eyed the situation across the lawn suspiciously.

Tyler was hunched over a copy of "Catcher in the Rye" and looked up occasionally when the spark of yellow from one of the policeman's raincoats caught his eye. He took a bite of his turkey sandwich and rolled his head from one side to the other to try and release some tension, and then shifted his eyes to Reid who continued to stare at what was unfolding behind the caution tape.

"What are you thinking?" Reid asked and then took another bite of his apple.

Tyler was startled by his question and it took a moment to comprehend it, "You mean about that?" he flicked his head up, gesturing toward the woods.

Reid rolled his eyes, "Yes, about that."

Tyler shrugged, "I don't know… It's probably nothing."

Reid let out a sarcastic grunt, "In this town, I don't think so."

Tyler chuckled, "You and Pogue should start a club."

Reid whipped his head around and faced Tyler, "You mean Pogue is wondering about this too?"

He nodded, "Yeah; keeps saying it doesn't feel right. He thinks the same as you do. It's always something in Ipswich. But you know how Caleb is. He thinks of the glass half full, plus… he doesn't want to freak Sarah out."

Reid shook his head dismissively, "He doesn't give that girl enough credit and it's going to bite him in the ass one day. She'll get sick of him treating her like that; keeping things from her."

"You think he's keeping things from her? He told her everything," Tyler countered.

Reid let his eyes shift to the woods, "He hasn't told her everything; not really. And when shit starts to happen again, which it will, he'll keep it from her for as long as he can to try and protect her, but you know… that's a double edged sword."

Tyler looked at Reid thoughtfully, "You really liked her didn't you. It wasn't just some crush."

Reid shrugged nonchalantly, "Whatever, I guess. I still like her as person and she didn't choose me so I'm over it… I understand why she didn't."

Tyler rose and eyebrow, "What does that mean?"

Reid didn't answer but darted his eyes in the direction of Bradley Hall. Tyler followed his gaze and saw Caleb and Pogue bounding down the steps toward them. Reid took another bite of his apple and returned his attention to the woods.

* * *

By the time Leona had gotten to the kitchen and flung open the refrigerator door, she'd realized that no one had been in the house for months so there really wasn't any food.

She shrugged it off and marched back to the foyer where Chase was still standing, shell shocked, and announced that she'd have to go out to the store and get some things and that she'd be back in about an hour to cook his breakfast.

He tried to settle her and insist that they could go and get something to eat, but she persisted. She wasn't going to let her little Chase come home for the first time in months and not have a home cooked meal. She'd go out and pick up some things for breakfast and once he'd eaten and was settled, she'd head out again and get the rest of the food and supplies for the house.

His shoulders dropped and he nodded. She was out of the door in an instant.

While she was gone he had a chance to look around. He was surprised at how nothing had really changed, but then again, why should it? He had only been gone for a little over three months which wasn't very long at all. But he supposed if someone you cared about had been gone for a period of time, no matter how short, it would seem like a lifetime.

He passed by his father's study and couldn't bear to grip the doorknob and turn… he wasn't ready yet. Even after three whole months, he still wasn't ready.

Now he sat across from Leona as she stood at the kitchen island whisking eggs in a large mixing bowl. He marveled at her and how the lines in her face seemed a little more defined, but still the same as he remembered. With her graying hair, red cheeks and plump body, he thought she was what Mrs. Clause would look like, had she really existed and was cooking breakfast in his kitchen.

She smiled at him with shinning blue eyes, "What are you grinning about?"

He shrugged, "I'm just happy to be back with you again. I really did miss you. I'm sorry if I worried you."

She returned the shrug, "Like you said, you needed time. I understand… I just wish you could have come to me. It did hurt that you didn't feel like you could come to me."

Chase folded his arms and leaned against the butcher block island, "I don't know how to explain it, but I needed to be out of Haversfield. I just needed to be on my own in my own head."

She nodded and decided not to press it further. It was obvious that he wasn't willing to tell her why he'd really left and what he did while he was gone. She knew his leaving wasn't completely about his parents. He'd always been a kind of secretive boy, always a little on edge with this shroud of guilt hanging on him. He was a perfect child, very well behaved and at first she'd thought that he was doing something he shouldn't, but she'd never found anything to support that. It seemed this guilt was in his bones, like he felt guilty for being born.

She did notice that he seemed to be well nourished while he was gone. He was obviously eating regularly and seemed just as fit as he was when he'd left. There was also something else about him, something good that made his presence seem a little lighter, like he was glowing. If she hadn't known better she'd thought he'd fallen in love.

Leona dredged the thick sliced bread she'd bought into the egg mixture and then placed it on the griddle. It sizzled immediately and the kitchen was filled with the warm aroma of homemade French toast.

Chase smiled as he sipped his orange juice and thought about how much Claudia liked French toast. He'd make sure to ask Leona to make it for her when she came to visit him for Christmas.

His smile broadened as he thought about what a wonderful Christmas he and Claudia were going to have. She'd probably never had a New England Christmas before, so it should be a treat. Never mind that he hadn't asked her to come back with him for the holidays or that he wasn't planning on asking her at all, but demanding that she come regardless the protests. She was coming because he wanted her to come and because she was his. That meant that where ever he was, she needed to be there as well.

* * *

Pogue immediately swung around the picnic table and took a seat, cracking open his coke with the lid popping, releasing the carbonation.

Caleb stood in front of Tyler as his attention was once again diverted to the border woods and the yellow caution tape that sprawled along the tree trunks.

His position was blocking the little bit of light that shone through the clouded sky and Tyler looked up from his book, "Do you mind? You're blocking the light."

Caleb was pulled from his observation and stepped to the side, "Sorry, Tyler."

Tyler shrugged, "It's cool," and went back to his reading.

Caleb looked at Reid who took another bite of his apple, but didn't make eye contact. He walked around the table and sat his backpack next to Pogue, "I know what you're thinking so stop thinking it."

Reid shook his head and rolled his eyes, "I'm not thinking anything, dude. I'm just sitting here."

"Don't play dumb," Caleb answered.

Pogue let his eyes shift between the two and then looked at Tyler who seemed to be fully engaged in his book.

"I'm not playing dumb, but I _am_ on guard… for obvious reasons. We should never have let what happened get as far as it did, we should have known. We all felt it when he first started using and none of us said anything… at least to each other. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not walking around with my thumbs up my ass anymore. Everyone and everything is suspicious until it ain't suspicious anymore." Reid put his imaginary soapbox away and took another bite of his apple.

"He's right, Caleb. You know he's right," Pogue said.

"We all know he's right," Tyler chimed in, not taking his eyes away from his book.

Caleb darted his eyes to the side as he knew Reid was right as well. What happened with Collins should never have gotten as far as it did and part of that was because they weren't communicating and paying attention to their powers like they should have.

He knew The Covenant was about silence, but not between the members. They were supposed to protect each other and have their brother's back. They'd failed at that miserably just two months ago and Collins was able to use that weakness to manipulate them. They couldn't make that mistake again and that also meant Caleb taking what the others had to say into consideration much more. They sat in a circle with no one at the head, they were all equal and that was important now more than ever.

"Okay," he conceded, "Did anybody sense anything last night? Anything weird?"

They all shook their heads and Caleb shrugged, "Neither did I. If it had been Collins we would have known. I sure as hell would have known so I'm inclined to think this doesn't fall under our jurisdiction."

"You're starting to think he's really dead, aren't you?" Tyler asked pulling his eyes from his book and looking over his shoulder.

"I'd like to think that he's really dead. I need to think that he's really dead, but like Reid said, we need to keep our guard up… especially for Sarah and Kate's sake. Sarah… she's still having nightmares." He let his voice drop a bit.

They all were silent for a moment, especially Reid and Tyler who felt an extra pang of guilt as they were the ones who were supposed to be watching and protecting her that night. They'd underestimated Collins and he'd snatched her up from right under their noses. How pathetic.

Tyler desperately wanted to break the silence and he turned to Pogue, "Speaking of Kate, when is she coming back?"

Pogue perked up immediately and smiled, "She'll be back after Thanksgiving. She's back to her old self, you know, she was totally freaking out at the thought of getting any scars, but she's cool now."

Reid chuckled, "That girl is so freakin' vain."

Pogue had to laugh too. It was true, he couldn't argue.

The bell rang out across the campus and the students who were settled in for lunch on the lawn were scattering like ants, trying to get to their next class on time.

Reid got up first, tossing his apple core into the trashcan and lifting his arms over his head to stretch, "Back to the salt mines, boys. Just another day in paradise."

Tyler laughed sarcastically, "Ipswich, paradise? I find that very hard to believe."

* * *

The Torrance triplets had sent a private plane to fly Claudia back to Los Angeles. They'd also arranged for Claudia's truck to be driven back, her house to be prepared for her absence and her belongings to be packed up and sent ahead of her to her apartment. They'd arranged everything and she felt a little useless sitting in the lobby of the private airstrip that was located right outside of Ajo.

She was lonely as well and missing Chase so much that stabbing pains were radiating through her stomach and she had to double over with her head rested against her knee for relief. She'd contemplated, or more precisely, was utterly tempted to call him and see if he was okay, but she'd denied herself steadfastly. She was not going to call him and ruin everything.

The whole purpose of sending him back the way she had was to put some distance between them and make them focus on the task at hand, not each other. If she called him now, that would just derail everything she was trying to do, not to mention that he would probably be completely pissed at her and demand that she either go to Haversfield or he come to L.A. Neither one was a possibility, but with the way that she was feeling right then, she would have agreed to anything just to be in his arms again.

Her body longed for his touch and every time she thought about calling him and then refused herself, the stabbing pain would come with a vengeance as if her body was punishing her for keeping it away from the man that she loved. Not only had her inner voice turned on her, but her body was turning on her as well. Her life was completely fucked up.

"Excuse me. Miss Harrington?"

Claudia lifted her head from her doubled position and saw the receptionist standing before her and looking quite worried.

"Are you alright? You don't look so good. Are you afraid of flying?" she asked concerned.

Claudia couldn't help but let out a soft giggle, "No, I'm not afraid, I'm fine."

"Oh," the receptionist smiled as if reassured, "Well, the pilot asked me to let you know that everything is set up and he's ready to take off when you are."

Claudia nodded and forced herself to sit upright. She picked up her carryon bag and stood up, "The sooner the better. Let's do it."

The receptionist nodded and led Claudia out to the airstrip where her private plane was waiting.

* * *

Sarah slid her keys across her night stand as she removed her scarf from her neck. Caleb closed the door behind him and walked over to her bed where he sat with his hands in the pockets of his jeans. She let out an exhausted sigh and then headed to the bathroom, flicking the light on and opening the medicine cabinet.

Caleb sat at the edge of her bed listening to her as she rummaged around, not knowing quite what to do or how to broach the subject of their strained relationship. He understood why she was uneasy with him, even after two months, but he was getting the distinct feeling that if he didn't do something soon, things would never get better between them and he would lose her.

Sarah came out of the bathroom and grabbed the bottle of water that sat on her desk. She popped the pill into her mouth and took a swig, sitting the bottle back on the table and looking at Caleb with those clear blue eyes.

"I guess you're just going to go to bed then," Caleb said looking at her.

She nodded, "Yeah, I'm really tired and the sleeping pills are helping. Dinner was great though, thank you."

He nodded and stood up, looking down at the floor, "We need to talk, you know. I understand that you're--"

"Yeah, I know," she interrupted him, "Just not tonight." She saw the disappointment in his eyes and then let out a breath. "Look, I told you that I wouldn't judge you or abandon you just because of the "gifts" you have and I won't. I love you, Caleb, you saved my life and you trusted me with your secret. I'm not going to throw that away just because I'm a little scared. Don't take my needing time to adjust as a sign that I can't deal with this. It's what it is; time to adjust, nothing more."

"You're saying that, but that's not the vibe I'm getting from you, Sarah…"

"Why? Because I don't exactly feel like being touched right now! Come on, Caleb, you're better than that. At least I thought you were--"

"You know that isn't what this is about! Don't go there!" Caleb's voice deepened with anger, "It's about you flinching when I put my arm around you or being hesitant to kiss me, even when we're alone… especially when we're alone. I think you see him when you look at me."

Sarah tossed her hair over her shoulder dismissively.

Caleb walked over to her and grabbed her by the arms, forced her to look at him. "Did he do anything to you before I got there, before the barn, anything? You can tell me, Sarah."

She pulled her arms away and stalked to the other side of the room, "He didn't do anything to me besides the spells, Caleb. I'm pretty sure that was him in the showers that night, but other than that he left me alone. You're convinced that he tried to rape me or something. What the hell is up with that?"

"Collins is dangerous, he's capable of anything."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "_Is_ dangerous. He could be dead or long gone by now. I'm ready to move on. I honestly don't think he's coming back and you should move on too, all of you. Even from the grave he's fucking with your heads."

"I just want you to be safe," Caleb said. His shoulders dropped and his eyes looked at her pleadingly. "I just want you to be able to sleep at night without taking any pills and to walk around without looking over your shoulder. It's my fault that all this happened to you and I need to fix it."

"I don't want to fight with you, Caleb," she sighed.

"Then stop being distant with me," He countered.

She wrapped her arms around herself defensively and looked down at the floor. He just didn't get it. He didn't get that she couldn't turn off the fear like a running faucet. She was still scared and she wasn't going to force herself not to feel just to make him more comfortable. Sure, she could bury the fear and let it fester inside her until it grew and spread like black sludge, until it consumed her and then what? What good would that do? Make him happy for a little while, until he got tired of her and moved on to someone else. Yeah, he'd move on and she'd be left behind… destroyed.

"I guess we're going to be at odds about this for a little while because I'm not ready and I won't be forced to follow your timetable. I don't like being ordered around." She looked up at him directly and stood her ground.

He shook his head. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know if he was in the wrong here or if she was. It was too much, but not worth losing her over, "I'm sorry… but we still need to talk."

She nodded, still uncompromising, "We will… when I'm ready."

He walked over to the door and opened it. He stood there for a moment and then looked over his shoulder at her, "I love you. Don't forget that."

She felt herself weakening a little and nodded, "I love you too."

At that he turned and left her alone, closing the door behind him.

As soon as he was gone she plopped down on her bed and felt the hot sting of tears. She looked over at Kate's bed which was empty and would remain so until after Thanksgiving break was over.

She felt so alone.

Without Kate there, she had no friends at Spencer. There were some girls who were civil to her and said hi between classes, but most disliked her openly, partly for being a scholarship kid, but mostly for landing the most eligible bachelor on campus, Caleb Danvers.

At this point, after all she'd been through with him and his friends; getting kidnapped and almost killed by Chase Collins, finding out that Caleb, Pogue, Reid _and_ Tyler had special powers that were passed down from first born son to first born son; she felt like she deserved to be with Caleb and take advantage of all the power and wealth he had to offer her.

How easy it would be if it was just about that; power and wealth… but it wasn't. She loved him. They had only known each other for a short time, but she'd fallen for him completely, like a sledge hammer over the head.

Life and love were very unfair.


	2. Card 2: Strength

**Special Note: **This chapter is to explore Chase and Claudia and how they feel about being a part from each other. It's also aimed at reiterating the fact that although the story is about all the sons of Ipswich, the main subjects are Chase and Claudia and their love affair, their struggles with trying to win a seemingly losing battle, and just dealing with the shift of their lives back to "normality" after spending those three months together which changed their lives forever. But rest assured that the Ipswich boys will be back in action come chapter 3. Oh and please, please review. Thanks!

**This Is Absolution**

**Card 2: Strength **

Chase sat at the edge of his bed with his towel wrapped around his waist and his skin still damp from the shower. He fingered the pentagram around his neck and thought of Claudia; how much he missed her and wished she was there with him, how angry he was at what she'd done to him.

He let his thoughts shift for a moment and as the smell of eggs and bacon drifted up to his room, he thought of Leona and smiled.

Leona stayed true to her word and within hours of his breakfast she'd started the house back up at full speed. All this time she'd been coming in three times a week and cleaning, changing the flower arrangements or washing the windows. She made sure that things weren't neglected despite the house being empty and why should she not? It was specified in his parents will that Leona should continue to receive her salary as housekeeper until she passed away, not to mention a large bonus for such loyal service during their life, but Chase knew that wasn't why she was doing it. She'd been with the Collins' since she was a teenager, serving his grandparents and then his parents. She loved Haversfield House and had made it her own. She loved his parents and she loved him. Taking care of the house made her happy.

He ran his fingers through his damp hair haphazardly and let his eyes drift to his cellphone which sat charging on his nightstand. He reached over and picked it up, flipping it open as he fell back on his bed. He scrolled through his contacts and her name spun up into view.

He wanted so much to hit send and call her; to hear her voice on the other end of the phone. He wanted to tell her that he loved her and that he was pissed at her for not trusting him. He wanted her to know how much he missed the smell of her and the sensation of her skin pressed against his. He missed her lips… her soft full lips…

He snapped the phone shut and all the rage that he'd felt when he'd woken up on the cold marble floor in the foyer had rushed back to him. She had no idea how much her depriving him of her was hurting him. He felt physically sick and the uncertainty of what was to happen next was killing him. Deep down he felt there was a chance he'd never see her again and that was too much. Much too much. He pushed it away, buried it. He couldn't let it surface. He didn't know what would happen if he allowed it to see the light.

He didn't have time to procrastinate and think about how much he missed Claudia. He had an appointment with his father's lawyer and he wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. Besides, the faster he took care of business there, the sooner he'd be on a plane to L.A. to see her and that was his objective. Nothing else mattered but seeing Claudia.

* * *

Claudia yawned and stretched as the morning sun spilled into her seaside apartment. The sound of the waves crashing on the beach soothed her and she lay in bed with a sweet smile spreading across her lips.

Her eyes were still closed as she turned over and reached out to the empty space beside her. Her fingers fell on cold sheets where a body, Chase's body, should have been. Her smile immediately dissipated and she realized that it was all just a dream. He was in Haversfield and she was there, thousands of miles away and certainly not lying beside her, waking to the warmth of the California sun after a night of intertwining bodies and intense ecstasy.

Tears began to rise up in her and she let them come. What did it matter? She was alone, no one would see her cry, and there was no point in holding back. She buried her face in her pillow and let the sobs overtake her. She was so miserable without him. How did she get this far gone? How could she let herself get this far gone over a guy, especially someone like Chase Collins.

She turned onto her back and looked out onto the balcony, the tears still streaming down her face. The sunlight danced across the waves as the ocean spread out before her. The look, the sound, the smell of the ocean used to give her great pleasure, but it was lost on her now. She longed for the slow hot days in the Sonoran desert when she played cat and mouse with the Putnam boy… with him usually winning.

_Are you that unhappy to be away from him?_

She nodded yes and the sobbing overtook her again as she turned on her side and buried her face in the crook of her arm.

_Then why did you send him away like you did? You knew that was stupid when you did it, but you rationalized it anyway. What was your point? What were you trying to do?_

Claudia shook her head, she didn't know.

_Are you sure you don't know? Are you playing with him? You like to do that. You like to upset him. You already know that when you try and push him away he fights that much harder to be close to you. Was that you're plan? To throw him off, make him so angry that he'd fight like hell to be with you again? He's pissed at you now. He won't be denied. He thinks about you and only you. Is that what you wanted?_

Claudia choked on her tears and shook her head. Why would she do that? She wasn't that selfish… was she?

_Your the one who's worried about him falling out of love with you. Maybe he'll meet a girl from the right family with the right skin color? You are worried about that, aren't you?_

"Shut up!!" Claudia shouted. She was sick of the inner voice she used to trust making her doubt herself. It had completely turned on her now and it was being deliberately spiteful.

She threw the covers off of her and bounded up and out of the bed. She crossed her bedroom in long strides, stripping away the v-neck t-shirt she'd stolen from Chase and heading to the bathroom where she turned on the shower and watched the steam rise.

She didn't have time to think about Chase; to lust after him and mourn his absence. She was having lunch with the triplets. She would hand over the spell today. They'd have it in their hands; the key to killing The Sons of Ipswich and she had written it. She was handing it over.

If her Karma wasn't ruined already, it was certainly fucked now.

* * *

Chase had speed through his breakfast of bacon, eggs and pancakes.

Leona frowned at him as he downed his glass of orange juice, hastily pecked her on the cheek to say goodbye and headed to the garage.

It was hidden under a gray cover with a thin layer of dust skimming the silhouette.

Chase walked around the perimeter and eyed the object. He hadn't thought about it in months, but now that he was standing before it, all those warm and fuzzy feelings came back to him.

He remembered how excited he was when his father had handed him the keys. He'd been lusting after the thing for a year when he'd first read about it in a magazine. It hadn't even been released to the public, but his father had gotten him one anyway. Exactly the one he'd wanted in the exact color with every kick ass add-on possible.

He reached out and pulled away the cover. It slid against the contours of the car and fell to the floor.

It was a 2007 BMW 335i Coupe with an inline six-cylinder engine, high precision injection, twin turbo chargers and 300 ft. lbs. of torque. It was sparkling graphite metallic with 17 inch alloy rims and it was gorgeous.

Chase ran his hand over the gleaming finish. He'd never even gotten a chance to drive it and here it was, sitting in the garage waiting for him. There were moments, few and far between, but there _were_ moments when he felt blessed.

It seemed silly to get this excited over a car, but he couldn't help it. His father had given him the car and it was the best present he'd ever gotten… despite it only being a material thing.

_What about Claudia's gift? What about the pentagram she gave you to protect you? Nothing can compare to that._

Chase's fingers touched his chest and skimmed over the pendant that rested under his t-shirt.

He nodded, "No, nothing compares to that."

His keys jingled as he lifted them and hit the little remote to unlock the doors. They popped and the driver's side door eased open just a little bit.

"Fucking awesome," he whispered as he grabbed the handle and swung the door open. The whiff of new car smell hit him immediately and only added to his elation.

He stood there for a moment and looked at the black leather seats and gray poplar wood trim. He was afraid to get inside, like the car wasn't really his, like something this nice couldn't really belong to him.

He'd always had nice things, his parents were loaded, but they never flaunted their money in people's faces like they were better than anyone and the money had always belong to his parents, not him. They were wealthy, he wasn't. He was just living off their generosity, but now that they were gone… everything belonged to him; the house, the money, the apartment in New York, the vacation house on Martha's Vineyard…

He braced the car and felt a little faint. It had all hit him just then; he'd inherited everything… EVERYTHING. He'd been so caught up in grief, so bent on revenge that he hadn't even thought about the will and what it really meant. He was like a zombie in the reading, barely paying attention as the lawyers rattled off his parent's assets and that they had willed everything to him. He was only 18. What the hell was he going to do with several hundred million dollars.

_Spend it on Claudia. Buy her whatever she wants. She's worth it._

He smiled at that. Claudia liked pretty things just as much as the next girl. She'd melt over a pair of diamond solitaires or a tennis bracelet…

_Or a huge fucking engagement ring._

Chase's smile broadened. Yeah, a huge fucking engagement ring. That sounded perfect.

* * *

Claudia stood in front of the trendy restaurant the triplets had picked to have lunch and discuss the particulars of the invocation. She hesitated for a moment with her hands in the pockets of her suede jacket, her fingers curling around and crushing the piece of paper that was certain death for The Sons of Ipswich.

She took a deep breath, exhaled and stepped inside. The hostess looked up from her appointment book and smiled.

"Torrance, party of four," she said shortly, looking around suspiciously and not bothering to take off her sunglasses although it was rather dark in the restaurant.

The hostess nodded and led Claudia out to the private patio where Angela, Amy and Agnes were seated under a broad umbrella and sipping strawberry margaritas.

Of course they looked flawless with their shining wheat colored hair and their bright blue eyes hidden behind various styles of designer sunglasses.

Agnes' face brightened as Claudia came into view, "Claudia! You're here!!" She jumped up from her seat and hugged her briskly.

Claudia stood paralyzed not quite sure if she should just stand there or actually hug Agnes back.

Amy read the confusion and her face and laughed, "Jesus, Agnes! Let the girl go. You don't know her like that," she said.

Agnes whipped around, "Just because she hates you doesn't mean she hates me. Claudia and I have an understanding." She smirked and her remark seemed to sting Amy just a little.

"Look," Claudia interrupted. "I have to go to the libraries this afternoon so I don't have a lot of time… It'd also be nice if I could get permission to _all_ the archives. I'm doing research."

Angela shrugged, "Of course, Claude. You'll get whatever you want. We're indebted to you. You're one of our brightest scholars. Whatever you need, just ask and it's yours."

Claudia shrugged, "Great. Here." She put the crumpled piece of paper on the table.

Angela let her eyes shift to the ball of paper for just a moment and then back to Claudia, "You're not going to have lunch with us? Come on, Claude, chill for a minute."

Claudia shifted uncomfortably and shook her head, "No thanks. Like I said, I've got research to do."

Amy picked up the ball of paper and spread it out in her hands. He face collapsed into a frown and she looked up, "This is it? It took you a year and half to write a few paragraphs?"

Claudia narrowed her eyes at her from behind her sunglasses, "It was originally much longer. I was trying to find the right words to invoke The Deus without killing them, but there was no way to do it, there are no words…" she paused. "Besides, that's not what you guys want anyway, so I said fuck it and stripped the spell down to it's core. It will rip them to shreds. Blood and gore everywhere. Should be quite a show."

Amy sat the paper down on the table and crossed her arms against her chest defensively, but didn't say anything.

"You know that's not our intention, but if it has to be that way there's not much we can do," Angela said.

"Whatever," Claudia breathed dismissively.

Angela leaned forward a little annoyed, "Why the hell do you care what happens to them anyway? They're nobodies, they're nothing; just using borrowed power and as of now," she looked down at the spell, "living on barrowed time."

"Excuse the fuck out of me for not being all about murdering people… regardless of what their ancestors did," Claudia tossed her hair over her shoulder. "But I get what has to be done. And you paid me for a job, I did the job. Now I'm out of it. I could give a shit what happens after that."

Claudia turned to leave, but Angela wasn't finished, "You should care though, Claudia. You'll be there after all, at Ipswich when it all goes down."

Claudia whirled around, her mouth gaping open.

Angela let a satisfied smirk spread across her lips, "Yeah, that's right. You'll be there too, for all the blood and gore, for "quite the show" as you put it." Her smile broadened at Claudia's shock. "You didn't think this was the end, did you? How the hell are we supposed to make this fucker work with out you?" she gestured to the crumpled paper that sat in front of Amy.

Claudia composed herself and sighed, "It's a simple spell. Create a protection circle, light some candles, light some incense and let it roll. It ain't rocket science, ladies."

Angela laughed and shook her head, "No, I think you should be there to see your work in action. You should see the final product. You WILL see the final product."

"Just because I don't want to?" Claudia asked, not bothering to disguise her distaste for the eldest Torrance Sister.

Angela nodded and shrugged, "Yeah, pretty much."

Claudia stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jacket, "You're such a bitch, Angela, but don't worry. That shit's going to come back at you threefold. The Deus doesn't forget malice just like it doesn't forget good deeds."

Angela sat back in her chair causally, "I consider what we're doing a good deed. We're setting things right for Martha. I guess it all evens out. I'm not worried."

Claudia turned to leave and Agnes called after her, "Please stay and have lunch with us, Claudia."

Claudia was confused by the invitation after she'd just had words with Angela and then realized that it was Agnes' way of trying to keep the peace. "Thanks Agnes, but no thanks. Like I said, I've got research to do."

* * *

Chase sat in his lawyer's office and tapped his foot impatiently. The drive into Boston had gone smoothly enough although it had taken a little longer.

He'd avoided Route 9 and taken a less traveled highway as he wasn't ready to drive by the spot where his parents had ceased to exist. But other than that it went well. His car was a dream to drive and he couldn't help but test out the six-cylinder engine, speeding down the highway that was drenched in fall leaves at a less than legal speed. He smiled as he thought about it.

The young (and pretty) receptionist behind the desk dropped her pen and she hastily craned down to get it. She hit her head on the way up and let out a hissed "shit" before her hazel eyes darted to Chase and then darted away again in embarrassment.

He smiled at her as if to say it was okay and then shifted his eyes away, but she smiled back at him. It was a little half smile heavy with insecurity. He shifted his eyes back to her and her smile disappeared as she blushed profusely, pushing her dark hair behind her ear and biting her bottom lip.

He knew the body language all too well and could have faked being a psychic as he knew exactly the thoughts that were running through her head; _did he have a girlfriend… did he have a boyfriend? Gosh he's cute… should I talk to him… should I ask him out... does he have a girlfriend?_ He let out a quite chuckle and then turned it into a faux cough when she looked over at him.

_You know, you don't have to fake it. Just read her mind._

Chase stiffened at the suggestion and his foot tapped more impatiently. What the hell was taking so long?

"Mr. Collins?" she smiled shyly. "Mr. Aldridge can see you now."

Chase got up from his seat and nodded, stuffing his hands into his pockets and striding past her quickly. She watched him as he left and then turned away again, her shy smile broadening.

The door to Paul Aldridge's office was open and Chase peeked inside before stepping in cautiously.

He'd only been to the office once, with his parents who'd stopped by on their way to a family lunch in Boston to sign their wills. Chase thought, as he watched them sign the seemly harmless pieces of paper that it would be years yet before any of them had any use for the things. He was a child then, about 12, and understood the meaning of death and a will, but it had never crossed his mind that he'd be sitting in front of lawyers listing off his inheritance just six years later. When he was a kid, he thought his parents were immortal. The idea of them actually dying… it was ridiculous.

Paul looked up from his paperwork and smiled, "Come on in, Chase. Sorry it took so long to see you, but I was on an important phone call."

Chase shrugged and sat down in the leather winged back chair in front of Paul's desk, "It's okay. I really don't have anything better to do."

Paul, who was a tall gangly man in his sixties with salt and pepper gray hair, clear blue eyes hidden behind glasses and a lawyers wit, glanced up at him and smirked, "I'm glad I didn't disturbed you packed social schedule."

Chase sat up defensively, "I didn't mean it like that."

He had no idea why a sense of fear washed over him at the thought of offending this man. He was Chase Collins for Christ's sake. What the hell did he care what this guy thought of him.

Paul waved it away casually and picked up a small stack of papers. He sat them in front of Chase and turned them to face him on the desk. Then he picked up a pen and offered it to him, "This isn't going to take long. You just need to sign a few papers and the transfer of the Collins estate to you will be complete. You'll have full access to everything which means you'll have to start signing for things to maintain the properties like Haversfield House. Do you understand?"

Chase looked down at the papers in front of him and swallowed hard. He wasn't ready for this. He wasn't ready to be an adult and take on this responsibility. Where the hell were his parents? How dare they fucking die on him!!

_Look at you. You want to marry Claudia and be the man in her life but you can't take a pen and sign some papers to an inheritance that is rightfully yours? Besides, it's your fault that they're dead. If it wasn't for you and your ascension, if you weren't the fifth son of Ipswich, none of this would be happening. You owe them. Buck the fuck up._

Chase took the pen from Paul and nodded, "I understand," he said, lowering his head and signing the first page, and then the second, and then third. He signed the fourth and put the pen down, taking a deep breath.

Paul narrowed his eyes at him, "I want to make sure we're on the same page here. No more running off to where ever the hell you went. I thought maybe it was a good idea for you to go to Spenser and get out of town for a minute, but you ran from there too. You have responsibilities now. I promised your father that if anything happened to them I would make sure you grew up to be the responsible man he knew you could be. I don't want to let him down. He was one of my closest friends."

Chase felt his heart sink but he nodded, "I'm not going anywhere, sir," he shrugged, "I don't have anywhere to go."

Paul looked away and let out a heavy breath. He felt sorry for this boy. He'd been through so much and now he had no one. He was the last of the Collins'. There were a few distant cousins here and there but the prime of the line was now gone, and even Chase wasn't really a Collins. He carried their name and now their fortune, but everyone knew he was adopted. Not a real Collins, but a Pope, or at least that is what his birth certificate said.

"Listen," Paul said as he put the documents Chase had just signed into a file folder and sat them aside. "I was you're father's lawyer and now I'm yours. If anything happens the first person you call is me, you got that?"

Chase nodded.

Paul put his arms on the table and leaned forward, "Like I said, you're dad was one of my closest friends, but you know that. If you need anything… even if it's just to talk, you can call me. I'm not your dad, no one can replace him, but I'm here if you need me."

Chase nodded again, "Thanks, Mr. Aldridge. I appreciate it."

There was silence and Chase took that as a sign that the meeting was over. He began to get up from his seat, but Paul lifted his hand to stop him.

The lawyer reached down and pulled out an envelope from his desk. He extended it to Chase and waited for him to take it, "It's from your mother. I was instructed to give it to you if they were to suffer an untimely death. And before you ask, I don't know what's in it. I was also instructed not to read the contents."

Chase hesitated for a moment, and then reached out and took the envelope. He had no idea what could possibly be in it. His parents had never kept it a secret that he was adopted. Was there some long lost sister or brother out there he didn't know about?

"Thanks," Chase said. "I think I'll open it when I get home. Thanks for all your help."

Paul nodded and took his glasses off to rub the bridge of his nose.

Chase turned to leave and exited the lawyer's office as quietly as possible. He passed by the receptionist again and smiled on his way out. He was almost to the elevators before she called out to him.

"Umm, copies of your signed documents will be mailed to you shortly," she said quietly. She looked away and bit her bottom lip again as if she as thinking and then she looked him in the eye, mustering all her courage, "Do you live in Boston?"

He shook his head, "No, I live in Haversfield, about an hour outside."

"Oh," she said looking down at the floor. "Well, if you're ever in town again you could give me a call… we could hang out or something."

Chase smiled. He gave her that genuine winning smile and for moment she looked hopeful until he spoke, "Thanks, but I can't. I have a girlfriend."


	3. Card 3: Knight of Pentacles

**Special Note:** We are starting to get into the groove of the story now and I promise you, the dead girl in the woods is going somewhere, but we should view her and the circumstances of her death as a symptom to a larger problem. I've decided to give Sarah a larger part than I had originally anticipated as she is a lot like Chase's character and was very one dimensional in the movie. I want to give her some depth and I think given the chance she could be a really good character. Oh, and don't forget to **review**. Good or bad, I want to hear what you have to say.

**This Is Absolution**

**Card 3: Knight of Pentacles**

The Police had concluded the evidence gathering part of their investigation into the murder of the girl in the woods outside Spenser Academy. Her body had been taken away, the caution tape had been cleared and the Police had released a statement saying that they thought a large Bobcat had attacked the girl and killed her.

The news had spread through town and on campus like wildfire, but there seemed to be a weight to it, like no one believed that a Bobcat, only a few times bigger than an average house cat, could take down a girl and kill her on her way home from the nightshift at a local diner.

However, time went on.

The leaves continued to change color and fall from the trees, the students of Spenser continued to sneak out and cut their way across darkened woods to forbidden parties and hookups, and the Sons of Ipswich continued to stay quiet and allay their tension, with each other and with the situation, as if it were old times… before _he'd_ come and disrupted their lives.

It was just another incident in a long history of incidents that plagued the Ipswich record books. The town, as idyllic as it was on the outside, was a hotbed for strange happenings and random disappearances. There was always someone missing or someone dead. There was always a piece of evidence or an eyewitness account that defied logic and could not be explained. Everyone touted Salem as the supernatural hub of the New England Colonies, but it was Ipswich with its darker past and very many secrets to keep that left Salem in it's shadow. Very few people paid attention, but those who did knew to beware.

* * *

"Bobcat my ass!" Pogue spat as he waited with Tyler and Reid outside of the Ipswich Movie House. "A fuckin' Bobcat isn't big enough to do what they claim it did to that girl."

The evening grew cool with the setting sun as the three boys stood outside the movie theater and waited for Caleb. A revival of the Japanese cult classic, "Sympathy for the Underdog" was playing and it was one of Reid and Tyler's favorites. Neither Pogue nor Caleb had seen it so the "terrible twosome" (as some liked to call them) jumped at the chance to drag their brothers in arms to the retro and slightly decrepit movie house that had once been the heart of the Ipswich main drag.

Tyler shrugged, "That's the thing. We really don't know what happened to the girl. The coppers are keeping it all hush-hush."

Pogue looked at him as if he was crazy, "Have you ever heard of a Bobcat killing anybody around here that was bigger than a toddler? Come on, Tyler, get real."

Tyler shook his head, "I'm just saying."

They both stood in silence for a moment and their eyes drifted to Reid who was squatted on his haunches with his back against the wall.

Pogue stared down at him, "Well, what's you're take. Do you really think a…" He could hardly get it out. "A _Bobcat_ took down some 20 something chick in the woods outside of school?"

"Not likely," Reid sighed.

"Well, what then?" Tyler pushed.

Reid shrugged, "Lycanthrope maybe."

"Lycanthrope," Tyler whispered and scrunched up his face as he thought. "Lycanthrope… a werewolf? Bullshit! No such thing. The Book of Damnation doesn't say anything about werewolves."

Reid looked up at him annoyed, "The Book of Damnation doesn't say anything about a lot of stuff. The writing stops after Putnam dies and even before that there are gaps, the spells suck and it doesn't tell us anything about where the power came from. It's a useless piece of shit," he stood up. "Besides, why is the possibility of werewolves so far fetched? We can do kick ass shit that other people can't do, but the idea of a werewolf or vampire is stupid to you? Those stories had to come from somewhere."

Pogue smiled, "It'd be big enough to take down a full grown human."

Tyler nodded, "Yeah, it would… not that I'm saying I believe it."

Reid smirked, "We've seen worse. Remember the spirit we banished just last year?"

Tyler shook his head, "Spirits are one thing, vampires and freakin' werewolves are something else entirely. This is stupid anyway. We don't even know what happened to that girl. It's just a rumor that she was ripped to shreds. We don't know if it's true."

"Then why are they blaming it on a Bobcat? Seems kind of dumb if they could explain how she died on something rational, don't you think?" Pogue asked sternly.

"Had to be some kind of animal or animal like thing that got at her or they wouldn't have bothered," Reid chimed in.

Tyler's shoulders dropped and he conceded, "Fair enough," he said. "But who's going to pitch this to our fearless leader? If it is a… _werewolf_ then that means it's supernatural. If it's supernatural then we're obligated to look into it if not take care of it, right?"

Pogue and Reid nodded.

"Great," Tyler said looking at the both of them confidently. "Then we're also obligated to tell Caleb and since you two are so very hyped about it being some sort of wolf-beast that feeds on human flesh when the moon is full, I think it should be one of you."

Reid shook his head, "Can't be me. He'll fuckin' roast me. He already thinks I'm a crack-head."

"Wait a minute!" Pogue protested. "So it has to be me?"

"You're his best friend," Reid said.

"What's your point, Reid," Pogue said flatly.

"Well, it can't be me," Tyler confirmed. "It would never fly coming from me."

"Oh, but he'll _believe_ me!" Pogue huffed irritably.

Tyler shrugged again and smiled, "You are his BFF," his eyes darted to Reid and his smile broadened as he and Reid said in unison. "Best Friends Forever."

Pogue backed away as if he'd been offered a needle of ill cut heroine, "Fuck that shit! We're close, but not that close. Just about as close as you and Reid."

Reid and Tyler looked at each other and nodded, "Yup, BFF," Reid said and watched Pogue shiver with distaste.

"You two need girlfriends so fucking bad," Pogue sighed shaking his head.

At that, both Reid and Tyler were pulled from their joking moods and sour looks shadowed their faces, "You're preaching to the goddamned choir," Reid sighed heavily. "Trust me, I've been looking but the bitches at Spenser aren't worth shit. Either they're whores or their saints. I just want something in the middle."

"Dude, you're scaring me," Pogue laughed. "That doesn't sound a damn thing like you."

Reid remained serious, "I know. I'm freaking myself out, but all of the sudden I'm getting an itch to have a steady broad. I don't know what it is…"

"Speaking of steady broads," Tyler interrupted. "You're going to have to tell Kate everything or dump her. You're ascending soon and who knows how long we can keep this under wraps with her sharing a room with Sarah."

"Sarah wouldn't tell!" Pogue protested.

"Maybe not out right, but she knows everything and she's dating Caleb. Kate isn't stupid… although she likes to pretend. She'll put two and two together and start demanding some information," Tyler sighed. "I'm just saying."

Pogue rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah, you're always JUST saying," he grumbled.

"What's that look?" Caleb asked as he strolled up casually.

Reid took a quick look at the clock on his cellphone and narrowed his eyes at Caleb, "What the fuck. The movie's about to start. Why do you always drag you ass about shit."

Caleb shrugged, blowing him off, "I had stuff to take care of. Don't worry your pretty little head about it," He said sarcastically and pushed past him to the theater entrance.

Reid was forced to take a step back as Caleb grazed him and walked ahead. Pogue shook his head to gesture that he had no idea what was wrong with Caleb and gave him an apologetic shrug as he stalked up beside his best friend with his hands in his pockets and his head slightly down. Reid rolled his eyes and let out a frustrated breath but fell into step behind him with Tyler following.

Tyler nudged his shoulder, "Why do you always have to have an attitude with him. Just let it go," he whispered with his eyes still on Pogue and Caleb who were steps ahead and having their own conversation.

Reid kept his eyes on them as well and smiled, "You think Pogue is pitching the werewolf theory to him right now?"

Tyler gave him an irritated look, "I'm serious. I don't know what the hell is up with you two always pushing each other, but I'm over it. We're supposed to be friends. We're all we've got, so we need to keep things chill."

Reid nodded and patted him on the shoulder, "I know _Baby Boy_. No drama. Just like you like it."

Tyler relaxed a little bit and then looked at him, "Seriously, why do you push him?"

Reid let his eyes rest on Caleb as he and Pogue walked ahead, "Because somebody has to. He's not better than us and he needs to remember that… even if he does have a double dose of the "family curse.""

* * *

Sarah exited the drugstore and stood under a street light with her prescription held close to her chest. She looked both ways before crossing the street and stopped at the payphone on the corner.

She looked down at the white bag in her hands and thought it was her lifeline. After everything that had happened, she was emotionally wrecked and the only peace she got was when she took one of the little pills and fell into a deep, dark, dreamless sleep.

She picked up the phone and dialed, clutching the bag close to her like it was a precious piece of jewelry and waiting as the phone rang on the other end. Once again the answering machine picked up and she shut her eyes tightly, pushing the frustration away.

"Hi, mom," she said softly. "I guess I missed you again. I'm just calling to tell you I'm okay and that Spenser is fine," she paused and thought of all the things she could say.

She could tell her mother about how she was almost killed by a guy with supernatural powers which he shared with her boyfriend and his friends. She could say that she was scared to death that he would come back and try to hurt her again and that she wasn't sleeping and could barely think because the fear had taken over her life. She could say all of these things, but she didn't. What would be the point? Her mother couldn't save her, not that she would try and although Caleb claimed to be by her side, she knew that in reality she was completely alone.

The pause stretched out and she waited, debating if she should spill her soul out onto the answering machine or pretend like everything was okay as she'd done for the past month and a half…

"Caleb and I are fine, still together… Oh, and I won't be coming home for Thanksgiving. I've been invited to Caleb's house to have dinner with his family. I'll call you during break… I love you… bye."

She hung up the phone and the tears began to emerge and sting her eyes. She blinked them back and took a deep breath. No more crying. That's what she promised herself. She wasn't going to be one of those silly girls who dissolved into tears at the drop of a hat. She was stronger than that and she would get through this on her own. She wasn't going to let Chase Collins ruin her life.

* * *

Chase sat at the desk in his father's study. He scribbled his signature on a check and placed it to the side to sign another one. Leona peeked her head in the door and watched him as he hunched over the checkbook looking completely overwhelmed.

"I thought I'd roast a chicken for dinner with some asparagus and basmati rice," she said softly.

"Okay, sounds good," he said absentmindedly as he signed another check.

She pushed the door open a little wider and stepped inside. The lamp on the desk was on and it softly illuminated the room, reflecting off the leather bound books in their mahogany bookshelves. She remembered serving Mr. Collins his coffee and tea in that room many a night with him hunched over his desk, paying bills or going over a case he was working on. Chase reminded her so much of him at that moment and she was a little sad that a boy so young had so much responsibility to bear.

She walked over to the desk and stood beside him. She put her hand on his shoulder and he looked up as if pulled from the weight of his thoughts, "The thing is, I don't have the asparagus or the rice. Could you go to the store for me and pick up a few things?" she smiled down at him and he shifted his eyes to the floor as if he was thinking.

He looked back up at her and smiled, "Yeah, sure. Just write me a list."

She patted him on the shoulder, "I'll go do that right now," she said as she made her way around the desk and exited the room, closing the door behind her.

Chase could still hear the swish of her skirt as she traveled down the hall and smiled as he'd figured out what she was doing.

He hadn't been out of the house since he'd driven to Boston and signed the last of the legal documents cementing the inheritance of the Collins estate. He'd stayed cooped up in the house, wondering from room to room, letting memories; some good and some bad, wash over him and take him to places he'd tried to avoid for the last three months.

It was a kind of mourning period for him as he hadn't allowed himself to mourn the loss of his parents and his innocence before this. But living with Claudia and finding someone who had power like he had and then falling in love with that person at the most truest and deepest level had changed his prospective quite a bit. He wasn't the same Chase Collins he'd been when he'd enrolled in Spenser and was in a cloud of pain, hate and revenge. He was a different man who'd found love and a chance at happiness if he played his cards right and didn't fail under the weight of the addiction he'd grown so used to.

Leona wanted him out of the house. She wanted him to breath the fresh air and leave behind his new found responsibility for a few minutes. She wanted him to be the 18 year old boy he would have been had his life taken a different turn and he had been born normal.

She had no idea how deep his responsibility went. She didn't know about or understand the extent of his deep dark secrets. But she felt his pain and wanted to help him regardless of these things.

If only he could tell her everything.

His thoughts once again drifted to Claudia who was the one woman in the world who knew everything about him. He was surprised at how much his world had changed since meeting her. His nightmares and visions were almost nonexistent now and even his overwhelming urge to use had been curbed. He hadn't used since Arizona and even when he was there he didn't consciously use. It would just happen, like when he read her thoughts.

He'd always thought the saying that "love conquered all" was very stupid, but maybe it was right. His being in the presence of Claudia had healed him and opened him up to the bright possibility that things _could_ get better. She was everything to him. He had to keep her, no matter what.

His fingers drifted up the pentagram at his chest and the warmth of her touch burned his skin as if she was there with him.

_Just a little longer_, he thought. _She'll be here for Christmas and everything will be perfect.

* * *

_

Claudia was rolled up into the fetal position on the cold tile of her bathroom floor. She was shivering, but sweat beaded her skin like she was on fire.

The seizure had passed, but she was still twitching and the urge to void her stomach and throw up everything still lingered at the back of her throat which caused excess amounts of saliva to pool in her mouth.

The urge to hurl tripled and she slung her hand over the toilet seat and hefted herself up and over the bowl just in time for the vomit to spill out of her mouth and into the water. Tears streamed down her face and all of the sudden she felt ice cold. She ran her fingers through her sweat soaked hair and let out a sob that echoed against the walls of her bathroom.

Her gut retracted again and more vomit spilled into the toilet bowl. She let out a strained breath and spat out what was left of the vomit in her mouth. She reached to the right and slung her hand over the edge of the sink and hefted herself up, fumbling with the faucet and taking mouthfuls of water, swishing it around in her mouth and then spitting it out.

She splashed cold water on her face and looked in the mirror. Her eyes were as red as blood and her hair stuck to the sides of her face from the sweat that still seeped from her pores. This had been her second withdrawal seizure in as many days and her body was suffering.

She splashed more cold water onto her face and into her hair and then her eyes drifted up to the mirror again. "So, this is what it's like to sacrifice for the person you love?" she asked herself.

To her surprise there was no reply from the spiteful inner voice. It was just her, all alone in her bathroom dealing with the withdrawal of his power addiction.

She shook her head and grabbed her toothbrush. She desperately needed to get the taste of vomit out of her mouth and then she would take a long hot shower and go to bed early.

She thought of Chase and hoped like hell he was going to stick to his promise and do what she'd asked of him.

He had no idea how easy he had it in Haversfield and how much of his burden she was taking onto herself.


	4. Card 4: Four of Wands

**Special Note:** I feel like I'm getting into a better groove when it comes to writing this story especially with Reid, Tyler, Pogue and Caleb. I felt like I was struggling before, but now I think I'm getting a grip on their personalities, or at least my interpretation of their personalities. Oh and Martin's back. I know he had tons of fans from Proof and he hasn't changed. I enjoy writing him so much and I'm going to have a lot of fun weaving him into the new adventures of Chase and Claudia. Enjoy and please **REVIEW**.

**This Is Absolution**

**Card 4: Four of Wands**

Claudia tapped the stirring wheel of her black C230 Mercedes as she sat at the loading curb of the tiny Long Beach Airport.

Martin waved at her from the baggage claim before grabbing his few pieces of luggage and strolling over. She hit the trunk release, but didn't bother to get out and help and when he came around to the passenger side and peeked in the window, he saw one of his closest friends with her hair in messy ponytail and big, dark sunglasses taking up half of her face.

She looked like she hadn't slept in days. She looked like she'd gotten the shit beaten out of her.

"What the hell happened to you?" Martin frowned as he opened the door and plopped inside the car.

Claudia shook her head and started to turn out from the curb and into traffic to exit the airport, "It's complicated. I'll tell you when we get home."

He looked at her for a long moment and felt an intense sense of worry creep up and out of his pores, "What the hell is going on?" he said, his voice a soft, stern whisper.

"I told you, I'll tell you when we get back to the apartment. I live on Ocean blvd, it's not far," she said softly.

Martin whipped his head around in frustration, turning away to look out of the window.

He'd been in California all of five minutes and already Claudia was giving him the silent treatment although it was obvious something was wrong. He could hear Jack in the back of his head telling him to let it lie, but he couldn't. She was his friend and they had bonded in Ajo. He cared about her and wanted her to be okay.

He knew that the thing she'd gotten into with Chase wasn't exactly the smartest move in the world and he knew that he'd encouraged her to pursue the "Putnam Boy", or at least open herself up to his pursuing of her, so there was some guilt there… However, he stood behind his initial actions because he knew in his heart that Chase really did love her and that she needed love regardless of where it came from, as long as it was honest and deep.

But he didn't want something that, had circumstances been different, been a lovely and normal relationship to take this kind of toll on her. In fact he hadn't expected it to, but by the way she looked he knew that the whole thing was ripping her apart. He couldn't stand it.

It hadn't been a long drive at all and Claudia pulled into the driveway in front of her apartment facing the ocean and turned off the ignition. Before Martin could even get a word out to interrogate her about what the hell was making her look so haggard, she'd hopped out of the car and started getting his suitcases out of the trunk. He got out of the car too and went around the back to grab the heavier pieces and without a word, she headed up the stairs to her apartment, swinging the screen door open briskly.

She tossed her sunglasses on the end table haphazardly and then dragged Martin's suitcases into the living room and sat them in front of the coffee table before staggering around it to fall on the sofa like a sack of potatoes.

Martin followed after her, putting the rest of his luggage in front of the coffee table and slipping his sunglasses up to sit on top of his blond head. He put his hands on his hips and watched her as she sank into the sofa.

Without her sunglasses she looked even worse with dark purplish circles under her eyes. Her skin was still smooth and flawless, but she looked sallow like she'd lost too much blood. He narrowed his eyes and then let them shift about the apartment; leather furniture and dark wood shaped into art deco pieces, books and tasteful art, yet not too cluttered with stuff. It was typical Claudia.

"When was this apartment built? In the 30s maybe?" he asked settling into one of the overstuffed leather chairs, an exact replica of the one in Arizona.

Claudia's eyes flickered open and yawned, "Yeah… that's why I like it."

He tapped his manicured fingers against the arm of the chair, "You like things with history; things that have a story. Is that why you like Chase, because he's from one of those old Colonial families?"

At the mention of Chase's name Claudia groaned and turned over onto her side, "I don't want to talk about him."

"Things with the "dark horse" gone sour already?" He smirked.

"I haven't talked to him since I sent him back."

"Then what's the problem? You look like shit. This isn't from you missing him that bad, is it?"

"No," she said slowly and then fell into a pause.

She put her hand up to her mouth and turned over on her stomach, hanging over the side of the cushions as if she would fall to the floor. Then she slid off the sofa onto her knees, sprouting up and running to the bathroom in the hall, barely having enough time to turn on the light before she was over the toilet bowl hurling up what little she'd had on her stomach.

Martin rushed after her and instinctively pulled her hair out of her face and held it back. He turned his head away at the sound of her vomiting and opened his mouth to ask if she was sick before another possibility dawned on him.

"Jesus Christ, Claudia! You're not… I mean… It's called a condom!" He sneered with disappointment. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I'm not pregnant, Martin!" she said harshly as she fell back against the bathtub surround. "We never… you know. And I'm hurt that you'd think I'd fall into bed with a Son of Ipswich and not take… _precautions_."

Martin shrugged and helped her up off the floor, "Well, he is awfully cute. I don't know how you avoided sleeping with him," A smiled spread across his face. "I would have… the first chance I got."

Despite feeling like she'd been run over by a very large truck, she smiled, "You're such a whore. I should tell Jack on you and for the record, it was extremely hard. I wanted to… really, really bad."

He snorted with amusement, "You can tell Jack all you want, but he's crushing on your boyfriend too. He keeps going on and on about how beautiful his eyes are."

Claudia rolled her eyes and turned on the faucet at the sink. She splashed her face with cold water and then rinsed out her mouth before brushing her teeth vigorously and swishing Listerine between her cheeks to kill the taste of regurgitated food. Martin handed her a towel and stepped back as she headed to the living room and plopped down on the sofa once again, completely exhausted.

Martin went into the small, open kitchen and hunted for a glass. He poured Claudia some water from one of the bottles in her refrigerator and handed it too her. Then he made his way back around to his chair and sat there starting at her.

"Are you sick?" he asked flatly.

"Sort of," she replied.

"I mean with the flu or something," he said a little frustrated.

"No," she replied shortly.

"Then what," he said. "And stop beating around the freakin' bush. What's going on with you?"

Claudia was silent for a long moment and turned her head away, closing her eyes, "I took his withdrawal when I sent him back. He wouldn't have been able to handle it right now and it would have slowed things down. I need him to go back to Ipswich as soon as possible."

"You did what?" Martin asked rhetorically. He'd heard her just fine, but didn't believe it. Why would she do something so stupid?

Claudia turned her head to face him, "I had to. He has to break the addiction if he's going to be able to use the way he needs to in June and if everything goes right, it won't be an issue anymore."

"Exactly! HE needs to break the addiction, not YOU!" Martin shook his head in disgust. "What the hell is wrong with you? Three months ago you never would have done something so stupid. Their Deus is cursed; it's dark. You taking even a little bit of it into yourself like this could hurt you... badly. You're not thinking, Claudia!"

She sat up, "I'm thinking that I love him and I need to help him anyway that I can!"

"Okay, than tell me this. How the hell is he supposed to learn his lesson about overusing if you take all the consequences for him? He's been a power junkie for months, having a good old time using and feeling the high. That's all he's ever known and the ONE chance he had of finding out how the curse really works; what could really happen to you if you don't check yourself and slow down has been thrown out the window by you thinking you're helping him." He stood up from his chair and started to pace back and fourth down the length of the living room. "Shit, I bet he's in Haversfield right now feeling right as rain and wondering why he's not craving magic. Stupid boy!"

"It's not his fault," Claudia whimpered. "He doesn't know what I did. If he knew…"

"If he knew he'd wring your fucking neck! That's what would happen if he knew!" Martin scolded her, still pacing up and down the length of the room.

Claudia sat herself upright on the sofa and watched him pace. He had no idea how she felt about Chase and how she hadn't thought twice about doing what she did because in the long run, it would save them both.

She loved him. She'd do anything for him. She'd die for him.

Martin paused at the window and then whirled around to face her, "We'll do a dispensation spell and get rid of the affects of withdrawal for both of you. Despite your lack of judgment concerning him, you're right about one thing: He's not strong enough to handle the effects right now and he does need to convince the other Sons as soon as possible."

Claudia shook her head in protest, "Not a dispensation spell… no."

"Look, it sucks, but it's the easiest and fastest way."

"No!" Claudia insisted. "It will just send the original spell out into the ether. It could affect someone else, an innocent, or it could come back years from now and threefold. It's better if I just ride it out. It's not as bad as it was before. The seizures have stopped. I think maybe a week or two and it will be gone."

"A week or two," he hissed. "Brilliant."

"You'd do the same for Jack if you were in my position," her voice dropped to a whisper.

"No I wouldn't! Girl, you are so backwards it's sick. I understand that you've never been in love before and you don't know how it works, but let me assure you, THIS is not how it works. Just because you love someone doesn't mean you have to put your neck on the block for them over trivial shit like this." Martin stopped and took a breath. He was so frustrated and angry with her. "Besides, you're holding him back by doing this. He has to learn on his own, you can't do it for him."

Claudia shifted her eyes away as she knew that Martin was right. He would have to learn on his own. She couldn't do it for him although she desperately wanted to. She wished that things had been different and they'd met under better circumstances. She wished that they were both normal; just a boy and girl who happened to meet and fall in love and be happy.

If only things could have been different for everyone.

* * *

"That's it! I'm telling him!" Reid said as he leaned against his locker. He pushed himself off the metal with a nudge and Pogue grabbed him by the collar and hauled him back.

"Can't you see he's busy," he flicked his head towards Caleb and Sarah who were hovered in the corner next to her locker.

They were deep in a conversation that seemed to be escalating by the second. Finally Sarah threw her hands up in frustration and pushed passed him, forcing the double doors to the quad open and letting them slam behind her as she stalked out. The sound echoed through the hall and the few students that were gathered at their lockers turned to look at the now slammed doors or at Caleb to wonder what he'd done to piss off his girlfriend so much.

Caleb grabbed a tuft of his hair as if he would pull it out with sheer frustration and then let his hand slid down his face. He looked at Pogue, Reid and Tyler who were watching him and then let his eyes shift away as he made his way in the opposite direction of his friends and his girl.

"Trouble in Paradise," Tyler said flatly and slammed his locker shut.

"I told you this would happen," Reid sighed and shrugged out of Pogue's grip. "The shit is starting to hit the fan."

'Shut up," Pogue hissed.

"Ooh," Reid breathed. "Getting a glimpse of the future with you and Kate? I have to admit, I don't envy you. Sometimes it's good to be a pimp."

Tyler chuckled instantly and then contained himself, swallowing hard as he saw that really was what Pogue was seeing… the future with him and Kate after he told her everything.

"Now obviously isn't the time to throw around your werewolf theory so back off it," Pogue hissed again.

"Alright I get it!" Reid conceded. "I'll let it go for now, but only because you out weigh me by like 50 pounds. Other than that, it'd be on."

"You wouldn't stand a chance," Tyler laughed and made his way around them toward the double doors. "Are we going to eat or what? I'm starving."

"We should probably find Caleb and ask if he wants to go too," Reid said matter-of-factly.

Both Tyler and Pogue looked at him a little shocked.

"What!" Reid demanded.

"Nothing," Pogue smiled, shaking his head. "Nothing."

"So what's it going to be? Pizza, burgers… Ooh sushi sounds good!" Tyler grinned as he opened the double doors to Dorsey Hall and headed out to the parking lot.

"Sushi?" Reid smirked following after him. "Would you like a side of quiche to go with that "Nancy Boy"?"

"Fuck you. You like Sushi just like the rest of us, so don't front." Tyler countered waving him off. "A sumo roll sounds really good right now."

Reid thought for a moment and then nodded in agreement, "Your right, we'll do sushi. Plus I can hit on that cute ass waitress that works there. Damn she's hot."

Pogue made his way around Tyler's Hummer, "She's constantly dissing you. When are you going to get—" He stopped as he spotted Caleb sitting on the brick planter under the windows of Dorsey Hall.

"Caleb!" Pogue called out to him.

Caleb looked up and saw his friends about to pile into Tyler's SUV and forced a smile.

Pogue walked away from the Hummer a little bit and motioned for Caleb to join them, "We're heading over to Ichiko's. Come with us."

Caleb thought about the fight he'd just had with Sarah and how she was constantly asking for space. He thought about how consumed he'd become with keeping her, to the point where he'd started to neglect the three people in his life that knew everything about him and would stand by him no matter what. He needed space just as much as she did. He needed time to clear his head.

He stood up from the planter and walked over to them, "Yeah, I could go for that. Let's get out of here."

Pogue nodded and opened the back passenger door, letting Caleb get in first. Then he got in as Reid hopped into the front passenger seat and Tyler started the ignition.

There seemed to be a weighted silence as Tyler backed out of his parking space. No one wanted to broach the subject of Sarah or what she and Caleb had been fighting about. But they were all concerned. It was a difficult situation.

Desperate to break the discomfort, Reid turned his head toward Tyler and smiled, "I'm telling you ladies, persistence is a virtue. I'll have that hot little waitress dropping her panties for me in no time. Shit, she'll be turning tricks for me on the track by the time I'm done."

The sheer ridiculousness of the statement seemed to thin the air and all of the sudden the SUV was filled with laughter

"Oh my god! Bullshit!" Tyler howled as Pogue doubled over, trying desperately to contain the roars of laughter that were escaping him.

Caleb laughed too and for a moment he forgot about his fight with Sarah and his desperate need to hold onto her. For the moment he was just Caleb Danvers, on his way to lunch with his boys, talking about ridiculous things, laughing about Reid's extreme cockiness and just being a teenager… like they once were.

"You're fucking insane," Pogue said, shaking his head, still chuckling with laughter. "Completely insane."

* * *

"Here, drink this," Martin said, offering Claudia a glass.

It was a thick, pink looking liquid that was a bit frothy. Claudia immediately twisted her face up with distrust, "What the hell is it?" she said pulling the blanket that Martin had draped over her up to her chin.

He rolled his eyes, "It's an old hangover recipe I got from my grandmamma back in Savannah. I think it will help you feel better and keep some food down."

"It's disgusting, isn't it?" she frowned. "I can tell just by looking at it. Those home hangover deals never taste decent. I'll pass."

"No," Martin said pulling the blanket off her. "You won't pass. You need to feel better. You promised to take me to The Community libraries tomorrow and show me around the place. You promised to show me around L.A. and that is exactly what you're going to do. I didn't fly all the way out here for nothing so you better fucking drink."

Claudia sighed heavily and took the glass. She pinched her nose shut with her index and thumb fingers and then gulped the pink liquid down in one forced motion. She slammed the glass on the coffee table and held her hand over her mouth to keep the drink down, swallowing hard and refusing to throw up for the third time that day.

Martin sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around her protectively, "Keep it down. Trust me, it will make you feel better. I put a little extra something in there. I'm no potion master but I have my tricks."

Claudia let out a breath as the contents of the glass settled in her stomach, "I knew it wasn't just some down south recipe you got from your _grandmamma._"

He shrugged, "I had to do something. You need to be healthy and clear in the head. Remember why you're doing this; to save Chase… plus, you're not going to ruin my trip."

She let out a quiet laugh, "So selfish," she breathed.

"Whatever," he answered and then looked down at her. "Are you feeling better? You look better."

She nodded, "Yeah, actually I am. What did you put in that stuff."

"Oh, just a little bit of this and little bit of that. It's a family secret that I cannot reveal," His silky southern accent intensified. "My grandmamma was a kitchen witch from way back. Even after she married my granddaddy and came into money she still made her potions and what not. Like they say, you can take the hillbilly out of the backwoods…"

"I'm gonna go take a shower and then we'll get something to eat, okay?" she asked getting up from the sofa.

He nodded, "Sure thing. It's about time you started treating me like the tourist I am."

"You're no tourist," she said waving him off as she rounded the corner to the hallway. "You've been to L.A. before."

"I can pretend if I want to!" Martin countered and then fell back against the sofa cushions. It had been an exhausting day.

* * *

Chase stood in the specialty foods department of the upscale grocery store with two rolls of polenta in his hands.

Leona had sent him to the store for the third time that week. It was her way of getting him out of the house, but each time she'd sent him she'd requested more and more bizarre ingredients for increasingly imaginative meals. He didn't mind, the food was good, but he had a sneaking suspicion that this time, she'd deliberately given him a vague request to keep him out of the house... and out of her hair for as long as possible.

He weighed the polenta in his hands like a scale; two different brands, two different prices, slightly different ingredients. Which one did she want?

"Chase fucking Collins!" a voice called out from down the aisle.

He looked up in the direction of the voice and his eyes widened, "Alison? Alison Talbot?"

She ran up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his in a tight embrace. Then she pulled back and put her lips against his, kissing him fully.

She came down from her tiptoes with her arms still wrapped around his neck and looked up at him, "You look really good," she smiled. "Where the hell have you been. Dan said you just took off after the funeral and you weren't answering your phone. You had everyone worried sick, you ass."

He darted his eyes away and forced a smile, slipping her arms from around his neck.

Alison was still the dark haired, light eyed beauty who'd seduced him when he was 16 and she was 20. He'd always felt that their "affair" was slightly inappropriate considering their age difference, but then again that was what made it so sexy. He was the only one of his friends who was sleeping with a 20 year old woman _and_ his best friend's sister at that. They'd had a good time for the 4 months that they'd messed around and she'd taught him quite a lot. He still had a soft spot for her.

She stepped away from him, "What's the matter? You used to like it when I did that."

"No.. It's just… things are weird right now," he shook his head.

She leaned into him and studied his face, "Holy shit! You've met a girl! Chase Collins is putting his player ways aside for a girl! Are you _in love_, Chase. Is she devastatingly beautiful. Is that where you've been all this time; Shacked up with some chick?"

"Not the entire time," he said dropping a roll of polenta into his cart and putting the other one back on the shelf. Which one he bought hardly seemed important at this point.

"I hope you didn't pick up one of those uppity chicks from… where was it they said you enrolled… Spenser. You belong with a Hastings girl," she said proudly of her Alma Mader.

Chase smiled, "She doesn't go to Spenser so no worries."

"Well, tell me about her," She pressed. "Is she as good as me?" she asked teasingly with a soft whisper.

He changed the subject, "So, what are doing back here? I thought you loved New York."

She shrugged, "I do, but Thanksgiving is next week. Trying to spend time with the fam, you know."

"Oh. I'd forgotten that Thanksgiving was coming up."

She looked at him again, her face turning serious, "Does Dan know you're here? He was really worried about you. If he finds out you're back and you didn't call he'll be pissed." She stuffed her hands in the pockets of her tweed Chanel jacket. "You know I'm going to tell him I saw you. He's already back form Hastings for break. They all are: Dan, Andy, Harris and Kent. They'll want to know that you're back in town."

Chase nodded, "I understand. That's cool. I'll call Dan tomorrow."

"Good!" she said happily. "You know he'll want you to come for Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone will be at our house this year and it wouldn't be right without you. I want you to come too and you can bring that girlfriend of yours. I'm desperate to meet her!"

"Oh, she's in L.A. She can't come, but she's coming for Christmas and New Year's." His demeanor lightened at the thought of Claudia coming to Haversfield for the holidays.

Alison noticed how happy he got at the mention of the mystery girl, "Wow, you've really fallen for this girl, haven't you? It's all over your face. She better be awesome or I'll be pissed."

"She's wonderful," he said as his thoughts drifted to Claudia. "She's the best thing that ever happened to me."

Alison narrowed her eyes. Chase had changed. There was definitely something different about him, but it wasn't some simple change. She was having a hard time putting her finger on it.

"But you ARE coming to Thanksgiving, right? I'm serious, Chase, I want you to be there. I won't take no for an answer."

"Leona might have something planned, so I'll have to see," he answered.

She rolled her eyes, "That woman never liked me."

"I think she suspected something," he smiled. "And she would have been right."

Alison blushed despite playing the part of the vixen, "Anyway, I'll let you go," she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek this time. "I don't want to piss off the invisible girlfriend," she remarked smirking. "You let her know I'll be watching her when she gets here. She has to be special to be with my Chase. You were mine first." She let a suggestive grin spread on her lips and then turned on her heel in the opposite direction, almost skipping down the aisle.

Chase watched her leave and he couldn't help but smile. Alison always had that affect on him and even after they'd called it quits and he'd crush on another girl, she'd be sure to pull him back to her just enough to remind him that she was still in control.

It hadn't worked so well this time though. He'd finally found someone that could rival Alison if not downright beat her. He'd managed to move on from that raging summer on Martha's Vineyard when Dan's older sister had set her sights on the grey eyed Collins boy with the killer smile. Those were sweet times and hot nights, but he was over it. He was ready to settle down and no matter how genuine Alison's feelings were for him, she wasn't ready to settle with one guy and they weren't meant for each other anyway.

His thoughts moved to Dan and the rest of his closest friends; his partners in crime at Hastings. He wasn't sure how Dan would react to him returning after vanishing so suddenly and then not returning his calls while he was gone. He had no idea how any of them would react, but he was sure that Alison would keep her word and tell her brother as soon as she walked in the door and it would only be a matter of time before he had to get over himself and face his friends. He had a lot of explaining to do and it wasn't going to be easy.


	5. Card 5: Three of Swords

**Special Note:** This chapter was a struggle to write which is why it took me two weeks to post. It was originally going to be longer with another scene with Martin and Claudia, but I got stuck and realized I couldn't finish the chapter and get everything I needed into it without it being like 20 pages long, so I decided to start chapter 6 instead, picking up where I left off. Plus the chapter leaves unfinished business that is going to take more than one chapter to sort out anyway.

**To Babaksmiles:** YOU'RE BACK! I'm so happy to have my muse back to give me insight into the story and to ask questions that can be answered in the narrative. Yay! Thanks so much for sticking with me.

**To Gabwr:** A big, HUGE thank you for showing up every week to read a new chapter and give me your take on it. I appreciate your reviews very much as they let me know someone is actually reading and that makes me happy. Thank you.

**This Is Absolution**

**Card 5: Three of Swords**

Claudia was dozing, caught between sleep and wakefulness. She was curled up under her covers with a stomach full of food that she'd managed to keep down thanks to Martin's pink concoction and she was restful; slightly aware of her surroundings, but drifting. It wasn't until the crash of the waves on the shore and the night sounds of the Blvd ceased that she was pulled from her in-between place and her eyes flickered open.

She lifted herself up from her pillow lazily, sliding up against the headboard as she looked across her darkened room towards her vanity mirror. The mirror reflected her image back at her, then she blinked and a figure was standing before her… it was familiar to her…

"Chase?" she said softly. Her voice seemed to shed light across the figure, revealing the vision of Chase that was not Chase. She knew by the glow of its pitch black eyes.

It smiled at her and cocked its head as if taking in the look of her. It stood at the foot of the bed and the corners of its mouth eased up into the devilish grin she'd grown so accustomed to, "I'm disappointed in you, Claudia Harrington," It said with a deep hum that cut the air and broke the artificial silence.

Claudia was fully awake now and pushed her hair out of her face, "And why is that?"

"You did something stupid. Chase will not be happy."

"Are you planning on telling him about what I did?"

Chase's Deus shrugged, "It had crossed my mind. He would want to know and I will always bend to his will."

"Would you rather he be suffering right now because of you; because of his addiction to you? Don't you feel guilty?" she asked flatly.

Its eyes shifted away, "It cannot be helped, but you were stupid to take this onto yourself. If you had asked I would have postponed the affects until a date you specified. I can do that you know."

"No, I didn't know. Thanks for telling me now."

It smiled, "You didn't ask."

She kicked the covers off her and pulled her knees up to her chest, huddling against the headboard. "Why are you here anyway? What's wrong?

Its face turned ominous, "Chase is concerned about you, he misses you… it is… overwhelming. You must come to Haversfield and be with him. This is what he desires and--"

"And you always do what he desires," Claudia interrupted as she'd heard that line before. She looked up at his Deus and shook her head. "I can't. It sucks, but it's not possible. I have things to take care of here. You know that."

"But there are other women. Does that not concern you?" It asked cautiously.

Claudia's eyes shot up, but then she settled. The Deus was trying to play on her insecurity and make her think she had to go to the east coast to keep Chase from straying, "I'm not falling for that. If he wants to fuck around with some other girl, I'm not going to stop him. It's better if I know now anyway."

It didn't say anything. It just stood there and despite herself, Claudia was tempted to ask if there actually _were_ other women she needed to be worried about… but that was stupid. Even she wasn't that insecure… was she?

"You will come back with me," it said as if he hadn't heard a word she'd just spoken.

"God, you're thick," she remarked half laughing.

"I do not understand this!" it suddenly raged, startling Claudia into fearful attention. "You are more powerful together! You should always be together! How can you make a baby if you are always apart!?"

"Ooh," Claudia fell back against the headboard. "So that's why you're really here; the baby obsession. You're afraid that we won't survive and you won't have a vessel to pass into when Chase is dead. You're all about self preservation."

"I cannot change my nature and I _have_ seen the future… I am not afraid," it stepped closer to the edge of the bed and without thinking, Claudia pulled her knees tighter to her chest, pressing harder against the headboard.

It grinned and leaned in closer, playing on her fear of it; the unknown, "I will not be played for a fool, Claudia. I have plans of my own and a greater influence than you will ever have. I suggest you take my advice when given and join Chase in Massachusetts. It will give you both peace of mind."

The warning seemed weighted to Claudia and she felt an uncontrollable need to heed it, "I told you, I can't. I'm not just soaking up the California sun here, I have research to do and I have to keep an eye on The Community. Besides, what would they think if I just took off to Chase's hometown and spent the weekend with him? They're watching me. You're the freakin' Deus! Use your fucking head!"

"Fine!" it said with godlike authority. "You will find everything you need tomorrow; it will all fall into place. I will make it so and then there will be nothing left for you to do here and you will come to Haversfield."

Claudia screwed up her face in disbelief. This thing was so hard headed it astounded her, "Are you listening. I don't care if you are part of The Deus, you're all fucked up which means you don't have infinite pow--"

"I will make it so," it said ignoring her. "You needn't worry. You have my protection. I am Deus. But first…"

The figure vanished before her eyes and Claudia blinked once, twice before she believed it was really gone. Then she was lifted off of the bed by her arm and Chase's Deus was gripping her. She was on her knees on the mattress and the glow of its midnight eyes reflected her image back at her like a hypnotic vision.

It spoke softly and Claudia was pulled back to that night in Arizona when The Broken Deus had appeared to her for the first time and tried to seduce her, "I will take a piece of you back with me to calm Chase. He will like that."

Before Claudia could protest The Deus was embracing her and an overwhelming sense of weakness took her. She couldn't move, she was almost numb, but not numb as she was aware of every sensation against her body. She could feel the air moving about the room, she could feel the specks of dust falling on her skin with heightened awareness, and she could feel The Deus taking in her essence a little piece at a time.

The Deus released her and she fell back against the bed and gasped, taking in a deep breath. Had she stopped breathing for those moments?

The artificial silence was broken. It rushed back to life and was so loud that Claudia had to cover her ears. Then the normality of sound returned and the rush of cars on the Blvd combined with the ocean took on its benign place in reality again.

Chase's Deus stood before her and the stream of street lights and moonbeams outlined its silhouette, darkening the figure to resemble a man shaped black hole. Although Claudia couldn't see it, she knew that The Broken Deus was smiling and she turned her head away, burying it in her mattress sheet.

She stayed like that for a few minutes until the presence in her room was gone and then she turned her head to look out of the window. She had no inclination to move from her position. She just lay there, thinking.

* * *

Chase let out a breath that hissed in the darkness. The candle light flickered before him as he sat on the hardwood floor of the Great Room in Haversfield House. The gilded, full length mirror on the wall before him reflected the moonlight in the darkness and for a moment Chase had no idea where he was or what he was doing.

Sweat beaded his skin. A fever burned his flesh, and then a cold rush assaulted him, making him shiver and suck in air that he held in his lungs and forced out heavily.

He looked around.

Yes, he was in his house, downstairs in the Great Room with antique furniture surrounding him, but how did he get there? He'd been sleeping in his bed, dreaming and now he was there, sitting before the huge mirror with a candle on the floor and an eerie silence surrounding him.

He let his eyes shift to the floor and his fingers touched the hardwood, smudging the chalk markings he'd apparently written there. There were symbols and circles; something in Latin that he could not make out… What the hell was happening here? Did he have another vision, another memory from the past? Had he been sleepwalking? Is that how he'd gotten downstairs?

Chase felt frustration and fear burn inside him. He hated, absolutely HATED not knowing what was happening to him and why. There were more questions laid out before him to add to the list of unanswered questions that was already a mile long. He needed Claudia there with him. She would know what to do and what was happening to him. Why the hell did she have to be so far away!

As he stood up his head pounded and for the first time he felt like he was returning to his body as if a piece of him had been missing; traveling or floating in the ether and now reaching out to reconnect.

He gripped the edge of a wooden plant pedestal to steady himself and when that piece of him connected, the warmth of Claudia drenched him on the inside. It was like she was there with him, kissing him softly as she'd done in Arizona. He couldn't help but cling to the feeling and relish in it.

"Claudia," He whispered.

Suddenly his lids were heavy with sleep and he felt compelled to go back upstairs and go to bed. The feeling of Claudia was like ecstasy to him and he quickly decided that he could figure out the sleepwalking business tomorrow. He wanted to get back to bed because he knew that once he was there he would dream and his dreams will be filled with vivid visions of her.

He used the furniture to support him and stumbled across the foyer and up the large stairs to the second floor. He closed his bedroom door behind him and fell into bed, slipping off to sleep immediately.

Little did he know that the chalk markings on the floor had disappeared, the candle had dwindled out and his reflection in the mirror, which was drenched in moonlight, had watched him leave with glowing black eyes.

* * *

The Community headquarters was in the center of the bustling Central Business District of Los Angeles. It was about a 30 to 40 minute drive from Long Beach to downtown L.A. depending on traffic on the 405 and 110 freeways.

Claudia and Martin stood before Torrance Center which formed a lazy circle with four other monolithic skyscrapers. The quad had a large, ornate water fountain in the middle and people crossed between buildings like worker ants while some rested on benches and took in the late morning sunlight, reading or working on their laptops, and others tossed pennies into the fountain hoping that their wish would come true.

Martin gazed up at the building and gasped, "It's fucking huge. It's like… a real business building? Like, people work there?"

Claudia laughed, "Yes, Martin. People actually work there and rent out offices for their businesses. It's mostly financial institutions. Some of them are owned by the Torrances, but most of them aren't. However, the top three floors are reserved for our special friends and then there's the basement that holds all the archives. It's expansive."

"It's impressive," Martin remarked.

Claudia nodded, "Yeah, it is," She thought for a moment. "You know I've never been a fan of the Torrances, but I will give them this: They are a very forward thinking family. Once they took over, everything went high-tech. Most of the paper records are on a high speed network now, hosted on cutting edge servers and housed here; underground. Makes research easier and faster."

"I think I hear a little tinge of respect," Martin smiled.

"It's not that serious," she said flatly as she started making her way to the entrance at Torrance Center.

It was a busy lobby with golden marble from floor to ceiling. Luscious looking plants were placed in the corners next to plush, black leather chairs that were pressed against the walls under insanely expensive wall art by famous painters.

As soon as they walked in the receptionist lifted her head and a smile spread across her face, "Claudia, how nice to see you! You'll be accessing the archives today?"

Claudia nodded, "Yeah, and he'll need a pass too. This is Mart—"

"Martin Callahan. Yes, I already have a pass ready for him. Angela told me to make sure you were fully accommodated when you visit us from now on. If you need anything, anything at all, please let us know right away," She smiled.

Martin looked at Claudia with an astonished smirk and Claudia shrugged not knowing what to make of the situation.

The receptionist handed Claudia the passes and she immediately noticed the change in color from the regular blue she was usually handed to black with gold letters. "Level 5 Access" read the passes and both she and Martin clipped them to their jacket lapels.

"Level 5 access; is that good?" Martin asked in a hushed whisper.

"It's great," Claudia answered. "It's awesome."

"Ooh," Martin nodded.

The receptionist smiled, "I'll just need you to sign in."

Claudia nodded and snatched up the pen, scribbling her name in the guest book. "Thanks," she said hastily as she grabbed Martin's coat sleeve and yanked him forward towards the elevators. "We'll call up if we need help." Suddenly she was in a hurry.

The receptionist leaned over the counter, "We can provide lunch if you wish to stay for an extended period of time!" she called after her.

"We'll let you know!" Claudia called back and smashed her finger against the elevator button.

The doors swished open immediately and she shoved Martin in, stepping in behind him. She turned around and waved as the doors swished shut.

"What the hell was that about?" Martin laughed. "All of the sudden you got antsy."

"I want to get down to the archives and use these passes before they realize what they've done and change their minds. Level 5… it's insane!" Claudia giggled. "That little bitch wasn't kidding when she said she'd give me access to everything."

"Come now, Claudia. Be nice," Martin cooed.

"Are you kidding me? You have no idea what that brat has put me through. She's making me go to Ipswich for the ritual. She says she wants me to see my work in action," Claudia snorted with distaste. "I can be nice when I'm dead."

* * *

Chase stood outside the large Tudor style mansion that was Haversfield House and instructed the gardeners as to how he wanted the iceberg rose bushes trimmed back.

This was not his ideal way to spend a Friday morning, but Leona had insisted that he start taking the reins in caring for the house. It was his house after all; his inheritance.

Leona watched him from the Great Room window as he stood by and watched the gardeners work, correcting them if he thought they were about to take too much off the bushes or not enough. He caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye and turned, giving her a sad, pleading look, asking if he could finally come inside. She read his face and shook her head "no". He was the master of the house. He needed to act like it and although she'd been running the inner workings of the Collins property for years, she was more than happy to step aside and push Chase into the whirlwind that was maintaining a historical mansion.

He sighed heavily and turned back to watch the gardeners… as if they needed watching.

The screeching of tires up the driveway pulled him from his boring task of observation and he turned around, immediately recognizing the midnight blue Dodge Charger that slammed to a halt right before him.

Dan threw the door open and heaved himself out of the car and before Chase could even open his mouth to speak, Dan had punched him square in the jaw, knocking him down on the gravel paved driveway.

Andy and Kent tumbled out of the car as well and stood behind Dan with their mouths gapping open. They hadn't expected him to just up and hit him like that.

Dan was seething with anger; he was shaking and his fists were balled up at his sides waiting to give Chase another good blow, "Get the fuck up!!" he demanded.

Chase sat himself up on the ground and rubbed his chin briskly at the spot where his friend had laid into him. He'd hit him so hard that his teeth had rattled and Chase could taste the coppery hint of blood in his mouth.

He looked up at Dan, "I understand that you're upset," he said as he rubbed his jaw and tried to dull the pain.

"You understand that I'm upset!" Dan said mockingly, still sodden with anger. "You understand that I'm upset! Fuck yeah I'm fucking upset! We're supposed to be best friends, Chase! BEST FRIENDS! What kind of best friend is on the verge of a nervous breakdown and instead of coming to the one person who has his back no matter what, shuts himself off completely, enrolls in a rival school and then DISAPPEARS off the face of the earth for months! Months, Chase!! Nobody knew where you were or what the hell happened to you. You could have been dead!! Yeah I'm upset! Fuck you!"

Chase couldn't help but let out a little laugh.

"This isn't funny!" Dan shouted. "You've been back for two weeks and my sister had to tell me that she ran into you at the supermarket and _apparently_ you're back in town! You couldn't pick up the phone!?"

Chase sat on the ground and just looked up at his best friend. The silence was long and both Andy and Kent stole confused glances at each other. Didn't he have anything to say? Wasn't he going to try and explain himself?

"I'm sorry," he said not taking his eyes off Dan.

All of the sudden Dan's shoulders dropped and all of the anger and violence inside him seemed to drain away. He looked to the side and shook his head.

Chase hefted himself off the ground, "I fucked up and I'm sorry. I should have let you know what was up, but I was going through shit and didn't know how to handle it. I made a mistake. I'm sorry."

Dan shook his head more vigorously, "You think saying you're sorry is gonna cut it?" he said through clenched teeth. "I'm not about to stand here and pretend to know how it feels to lose your parents, but Christ, Chase; you didn't trust any of us."

He shrugged, "It's more complicated than you think. You couldn't have helped."

"You know what, I'm over it," Dan said as he turned to his car. He glanced at Andy and Kent who just stood there dumbfounded. "We're leaving."

They stood there for a moment not quite knowing what to do. It wasn't like Dan was the only one with beef. They had things to say to Chase too.

Kent nudge Andy in the back, "Let's just go for now. He's too riled up."

Andy looked at Chase sympathetically, "We'll come back later when things have cooled."

Chase nodded, "Yeah. I understand."

They tumbled back into the car and Dan didn't even wait for Kent to close the door before he started backing down the driveway too fast. He spun the Charger around, kicking up gravel and was out of the gate in a matter of seconds.

Chase watched him race off and exhaled like a weight was on his chest. He turned around and the gardeners who'd stood there stunned watching the interaction scrambled back to the business of cutting back the rose bushes.

Leona was standing at the door with her face drawn in worry and a dish towel twisted in her hands as if she would strangle it to death.

Chase forced a smile, "Well, that went well."

"He'll be back," she said to him softly. "He just needs some time."

Chase let out another weighted breath, "I know… whatever. I'll call him tonight… if he'll take my call."

He brushed past her into the foyer and began to climb up the stairs to his room. He was suddenly tired. All he wanted to do was lie down.

Leona watched him with the burdened look of a mother who did not know how to help her son and then turned on the gardeners, "No, that's going to be too much. A little less." She said as she took over the job of correcting the trimming.

It looked like she was going to play master of house for one more day.


	6. Card 6: King of Cups

**Special Note:** Alright, the plot is starting to thicken. I told you I was going somewhere with this. I've also been looking for concept images to represent Chase and Claudia (although we already know that Chase looks like the very hot Sebastian Stan). However, I am having a really hard time finding anyone who looks like Claudia as every female celebrity I've come across isn't compatible with the image of her I have in my head. I know that some of you were throwing around ideas of people you pictured when you read about her during Proof, so if you want to send more suggestions my way, please do. I'm having a really hard time with this. Thanks and please **REVIEW**.

**This Is Absolution**

**Card 6: King of Cups**

Claudia was arched over a keyboard with a mouse in her hand scrolling through records by the thousands.

She'd been through every reference and cross reference she could think of to try and find some incident that was similar to what was going on with Chase's Deus, but she'd found nothing.

There was one instance of a boy in a South American village who had seemingly been taken over by the essence of The Deus in order to save his village from a flood, but that looked more like his will tapping into his power to save his family; not The Deus acting on its own.

She wasn't getting anywhere and with the sterile white walls of the research room, combined with the hum and burn of the bright florescent lighting, she was overcome with frustration, burying her head in her hands and feeling hopeless.

She looked over at Martin who was sitting back in his chair, lazily scrolling through archives and looking quite bored. He felt her looking at him and made it a point to roll his head in her direction languidly, letting his eyes drift to the back of his head as if he was having a seizure… a seizure brought on by pure boredom.

She knew that although the Torrance reforms to the archives were an example of supreme efficiency, it wasn't what one thought a magical archive should look like. She felt disappointed for Martin as she wished she could have shown him something mystical and spectacular. Some place heavy with the smell of old books that brimmed with power.

Martin slid down in his chair continuing to let his head loll from one side to the other and his tongue hang out of his mouth like a panting dog.

"Nice," she remarked sitting back in her chair abruptly. "Very nice. I know this isn't how you'd prefer to spend your Friday but I need an edge or I'm never going to make this work."

Martin sighed heavily pushing himself back up in his seat, "I haven't said anything. I'm just sitting here being a good little researcher."

"You didn't have to say anything," Claudia said flatly.

He rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at her before returning to the mind-numbing task of searching through records.

Claudia got up to stretch her legs and then turned around, "Forget about Chase's Deus for right now. Focus your search on The Covenant. Maybe we'll find something useful there."

"Fine, but after this, if we don't find anything, we're leaving. We haven't had lunch and I'm hungry… and thirsty. When I say thirsty, I don't mean water," He looked at her directly, lifting his eyebrows to be sure he made his point.

Claudia couldn't help but giggle, "Yeah, I get it. This is the last search. After this, we're out of here."

He nodded as if satisfied, "Good. Then let's get this done. I'm starving." He turned back to his monitor and typed in keywords for the search.

Claudia turned around and walked the length of the room, lifting her arms above her head to stretch her back. Her mind drifted back to that night and she remembered the words of Chase's Deus:

"_You will find everything you need tomorrow; it will all fall into place. I will make it so and then there will be nothing left for you to do here and you will come to Haversfield." _

She hadn't realized it before, but she was counting on The Broken Deus keeping its word to help her find what she needed to make a decent plan. She didn't know what it was or what form it would take, but she was convinced that it was somewhere in the archives. Something that she had over looked before; something she hadn't thought important, but was of the utmost importance now. If only she knew what it was so she could cut through the bullshit and get right to it.

Yes, she wanted to get right to it because she wanted to go to Haversfield.

She longed to see Chase and feel his body pressed against hers. She wanted to bring him good news that would help him and protect him when he went to Ipswich. She NEEDED to feel his eyes gaze over her the way they'd done in Arizona; burning with lust and adoration.

Martin scrolled through the search results. It was all the same stuff; things they already knew, but there was one result that was different than the rest. It had the word "restricted" next to the title and no summary.

He leaned closer to the monitor and clicked the link which took him to a page that was blank accept for two input boxes; one asking for a user level and another asking for an access code.

He clicked the first input box and a drop down menu appeared giving him five user levels. He picked level 5 as that was the last and apparently the highest and then moved on to the second input box.

He sat there and thought for a moment, fingering the archive pass on his lapel. He unhooked it from his jacket and turned it over in his hands. They'd scanned barcodes on the back of the card to get in the records room. Could the numbers under the barcode act as the access code to the restricted records too?

He hastily typed the numbers into the input box and hit enter. The page switched to the processing screen and sat there. In fact, all it seemed to do was sit there and process for what seemed like an eternity. He tapped his fingers on his desk and stole a glance over his shoulder to where Claudia was still pacing up and down the length of the room, stretching.

He turned his attention back to the monitor, "Come on already," he whispered, tapping his fingers more vigorously.

The anticipation of opening a restricted file was starting to get to him and what if whatever was in that file was the key to what Claudia was trying to do? More than anything he wanted to give her hope and peace of mind. What she was doing was extraordinary in concept and in all honesty, probably wouldn't work.

Just as those thoughts drifted away, the processing screen blinked and text appeared line after line. Martin leaned closer to the monitor and started reading. It wasn't a history of The Covenant or Martha Cavanaugh like the other records. It was a project summary and department orders. Department orders for The Seekers that went all the way back to 1848.

He read the summary quickly. It was submitting for approval a new project for round the clock surveillance of The Ipswich Wizards. The summary asserted that they could be a future threat to the residents of Ipswich as well as the anonymity of The Community, and The Deus itself. The department heads wanted the unrestricted approval to track and if needed, intervene with The Sons of Ipswich on the authority of The Department of Seekers, newly established in 1845.

Martin sat back in his chair as he was floored by the information he'd gotten his hands on. Level 5 indeed! He wondered if Angela really knew what she was doing when she'd decided to give Claudia ultimate access. It was obvious that she thought Claudia was behind the cause even if she objected it to it morally. Or maybe she hadn't even considered that someone would get it into their heads to try and stop them. Was that arrogance or stupidity? He wasn't sure, but regardless, this looked like something they could use and if there were other files like this that he had access to, he wanted to see them.

He glanced over his shoulder again and Claudia was still pacing. She looked deep in thought and he whipped his head around sharply scrolling down the page.

The project was submitted in December 1848 and approved February 1849. A list of operatives was submitted and assigned, carefully selecting The Seekers who were placed in prominent and sometimes intimate positions concerning The Four Families.

Two high profile business men and friends of the families, a couple of mistresses, cooks, maids, groundskeepers, Instructors at Spenser academy; the list went on over the years and it seemed that The Seeker positions were passed down through families. It was a legacy of spies.

He scrolled back up as a name had popped out at him before: Ebenezer Gorman Twoberry. Why did that name sound familiar?

**Ebenezer Gorman Twoberry: Escaped slave from New Orleans, age 26. Specialties: Voodoo, Blood Rites, Divination. Assignment: Groundskeeper and friend to Andrew Danvers. Sub-assignment: Establishment and maintenance of terminal/safe passage through Ipswich for escaped slaves under the authority of Harriet Tubman/Michael Edger.**

Martin scrolled down the page to the list of active operatives. Another name caught his attention.

**Gorman Twoberry: Age 70. Specialties: Voodoo, Blood Rites, Divination, Pagan fundamentals. Assignment: Groundskeeper and friend to James L. Danvers II/James L. Danvers III. Sub-assignment: Caretaker to James L. Danvers III (deceased). Note: Under investigation for conduct endangering an operation. Privileges: Suspended, awaiting official inquiry.**

Martin turned to Claudia, "Who is Gorman Twoberry?"

She turned around and shrugged, "He's the groundskeeper of the Danvers' old Colonial place… oh and he took care of Caleb Danvers' father after he got nailed by the curse. Why?"

"Are you sure that's all he is? You don't know anything else about him?" he asked pointedly.

Claudia started to make her way over to him, "Yeah, I'm sure. Why? What's wrong?"

Martin snapped his head in the direction of his monitor, "You need to see this. Turns out we have access to restricted files with our Level 5 passes. I opened one with the access code on the back of my pass and I got this. It's a project request from The Seekers asking for approval to watch The Ipswich Wizards back in 1849. It has a list of operatives, a LONG list and guess who's on it."

Claudia bent over his shoulder and studied the screen, skimming the contents until her eyes fell on Gorman's name, "Holy fucking shit!" she gasped. "He's a goddamned Seeker! I didn't even know about this!"

She shot up from her bended position and paced the room viciously with her hands in her hair as if she would squeeze her head until it collapsed. "What does this mean?" She asked out loud, not really directing the question at Martin, but the thin air. "All of the sudden I can't think. What does this mean?"

Martin turned around in his chair, "Goodness, girl. Calm down! It means you potentially have someone on the inside. He's under investigation for endangering the operation. I'm not sure why, but maybe he got to close and his loyalties have changed. But even if that's not the case, he's still the proof Chase needs to convince the other Sons that he's telling the truth. All he has to do is plant doubt in Caleb's head about Twoberry and Caleb will take care of the rest; he'll force Twoberry out. But if his loyalties have changed, he won't have to."

Claudia shook her head, "If he really had decided to turn on The Community why hasn't he warned them already?"

"Maybe he's waiting on something like we are. Maybe he has a plan that we could get in on. He's a Seeker; he's got all sorts of shady tricks. We could use him. But regardless, he's our proof."

Claudia plopped down in a chair across the room and leaned over resting her forearms on her knees. She looked up, "Grab a disc and save all the restricted files on The Covenant you can find."

Martin nodded, but then stopped, "You know they're probably tracking what we're doing right now. What if they get suspicious and start asking questions?"

She shrugged and a devious smirk spread across her lips as she remembered what Chase's Deus had said to her, "Then they shouldn't have given us access to everything. It seems rather stupid, especially if they didn't want us to use it. Besides… I'm not worried."

* * *

The brown haired, brown eyed girl in the Spenser uniform smacked Tyler right across the face, "You're an asshole, Simms!" She gave him the look of death and then turned on her heel, exiting the classroom and causing the skirt of her uniform to twirl up and expose the stark white of panties.

Reid leaned forward as he watched her leave, cocking his head to one side and letting a smooth whistle ease off his lips, "Nice… How many times did you hit that, Ty?"

Tyler shrugged, "Just once. She's cute, but not very good. I would have dated her had it not been for that. I didn't have the heart to tell her she was lacking in the "love making" department so I just stopped calling."

"She couldn't have been that bad," Pogue said as he followed suit with Reid and watched the girl through the doorway of their Political Sciences class.

She was right outside the door talking to one of her friends, visibly upset and looking as if she was about to cry. Her friend turned to look at Tyler and both Reid and Pogue whipped their heads around as if they hadn't been staring the whole time.

Tyler didn't seem flustered at all and sat back causally in his chair, almost daring the girl to make more of a scene than she already had. She immediately burst into tears, grabbing her friend by the sleeve of her blazer and running off down the hall.

Both Reid and Pogue fell out laughing and Reid banged his head against the desk as he shook with howls of amusement, "Oh my god, Tyler. How do you keep that nice guy cred when you're such a pimp!? You're like a fucking son to me!"

Tyler rolled his eyes, "I'm not trying to be a "pimp" and to answer your question, Pogue; yes. She was that bad."

"Care to elaborate?" Pogue pressed.

"No," Tyler said shortly.

Pogue lifted his hands in mock surrender, "It's cool. I didn't want to know anyway."

Reid snorted with disbelief and turned his head away, muffling his laughter.

Caleb strolled into the mostly deserted class room with his uniform blazer slung causally over his shoulder. He looked better than he had the past few days; as if he'd finally gotten some sleep and he'd been spending more time with his friends, which was a relief to all of them.

He plopped down in the chair next to Tyler and looked up at Reid and Pogue who were seated in the row above and behind, "They've found another body. At the back of campus, out by the dumpsters. They won't let anyone near the crime scene like last time, but the rumor is, it's the same MO as the other one; ripped to shreds."

"What are you thinking?" Reid asked lifting an eyebrow.

"I'm thinking this is an issue that we need to look into," he answered with a heavy sigh. He looked up at Reid and Pogue. "And don't even start with that I told you so shit. I know that you guys suspected something from the start."

Reid let a smirk surface and fought back the urge to flaunt the fact the he was onto something from the very beginning. Pogue just shrugged and nodded and held onto telling Caleb about the "werewolf theory" for just a little longer.

"So what are we supposed to do?" Tyler asked.

Caleb scratched his head as if he was sorting things out mentally, "They used that Bobcat excuse last time and it didn't fly with anybody. I want to know why they did that. I want to see the body."

"We're gonna break into the morgue!" Reid exclaimed giddily.

"Umm, no. Dead bodies, no," Pogue shook his head in protest.

"We're gonna have to get a look at the body to figure out what the hell is going on," Caleb countered.

"Unless you want to go grave-robbing and dig up that girl, I suggest you get used to the idea of the morgue," Tyler said flatly.

Pogue rolled his eyes, "Fine, whatever."

"When is this going down?" Reid asked, barely containing his excitement.

Caleb thought, "Tomorrow night. We need to give them time to finish whatever they're doing. We'll sneak in, take a look and then decide what to do next."

Reid wiggled in his chair, "Finally! Some action!"

Pogue elbowed him in the arm, "Calm down…dead bodies."

Tyler and Caleb smiled. For such an imposing guy he sure was a wimp.

* * *

Chase was stretched out like a wet blanket on the sofa in the den. He had the TV tuned to the History Channel, but was hardly paying attention as his mind was on Daniel Talbot, his closest friend.

His cellphone sat on his chest as he waited for Leona to call him to dinner and contemplated calling Dan to try and smooth things out.

He didn't blame Dan for the way he'd acted. What he'd done was fucked up, but despite his acknowledgement of that, he still felt, deep down, that he had to do what he had to do in order to make some sense of his life and what he truly was… a Son of Ipswich, descended from the Putnam line and gifted with great power.

It wasn't like he could sit down with Dan, Andy and Kent and tell them all of this. Firstly, they wouldn't believe him and secondly, it could put them in danger.

He'd spent quite a bit of time thinking about what Claudia had told him about The Community and how influential she said they were. If what she was saying was true then they were everywhere and probably knew everything. And if they really had it out for The Covenant, then they'd have it out for anyone close to them too.

He groaned as he turned over on the sofa, uncomfortable with the thought of pulling his friends unknowingly into some off the wall, supernatural plot that didn't really concern them. It seemed very unfair.

He tapped his phone with his index finger and turned over the idea of calling Dan.

It actually wasn't just an idea. He HAD to call Dan. He was obligated to do it because he knew that Dan wouldn't do it himself. He was too proud and too hurt by Chase locking him out like that. It was a betrayal and it wasn't his job to rectify and make amends.

Leona called out to him that dinner was ready and he struggled to push himself up off the sofa. He sat up against the cushions and his cellphone beeped to let him know that he had a text message.

He sighed heavily and flipped the phone open. The text message surprised him.

**Dan: You'd better fucking call me.**

A smirk spread across his lips. He couldn't hide it. Dan had been the first to break and he couldn't help but relish in it just a little.

He scrolled through his contacts and selected Dan's name, then hit send.

It was only half a ring before Dan picked up, "Are you coming to Thanksgiving Dinner or what?"

"Aren't you mad at me?" Chase asked with a little hint of laughter in his voice.

"Yeah. What does that have to do with Thanksgiving? You're still family… even if you are an asshole." Dan answered flatly.

There was a long pause and then he answered, "Leona might have something planned for me, so I don't know."

Dan let out a frustrated sigh, "She doesn't have anything planned. She's going to Boston to spend a few days with her brother and his family, so you know, there's no reason why you can't spend the holiday with us."

"How the hell do you know that? She didn't tell me anything!" Chase was genuinely shocked. Leona hadn't mentioned anything about leaving for Thanksgiving and it was only a week away.

"Oh," Dan said, barely containing his satisfaction. "She hasn't told you? That's funny because I heard it from my housekeeper days ago."

"Really," Chase said rudely.

"Yeah. It's odd that she wouldn't tell you."

Chase could sense Dan smiling over the phone.

"Did you have anything to do with this?" He asked cautiously, knowing that Dan and Alison were fully capable of pulling strings to make sure he HAD to spend the holiday with them.

Dan gasped, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Right," Chase said. "Sure you don't."

"Look, if you don't want to come, don't come… whatever."

"I'll come. I have to now considering my housekeeper is leaving me. I can't very well starve on Turkey Day and spend it alone."

Once again Chase could sense a satisfied smile coming from Dan, "I'm glad you're seeing it our way," meaning he _and_ his sister.

Chase heard a giggle in the background and knew that Alison was sitting there listening. He was being double-teamed.

"Yeah, right. Well, I guess I'll see you next Thursday then."

"I guess you will," Dan said seeming quite pleased with himself and his sibling. "Kisses! Bye!" He blurted out mockingly before hanging up the phone.

Chase shook his head as he flipped his phone closed and Leona called out to him again to come to dinner.

He strolled out of the den and into the kitchen where Leona was setting the little table by the window for him to sit and eat. There was no point in eating in the huge dining room as it was just him and sometimes Leona would sit with him and eat, which he liked very much.

He sat down in his seat, stuffing his phone into his back pocket as he eyed Leona suspiciously. She came around the kitchen island with his salad and a basket of bread and sat it down on the table before she looked down at him.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she smiled.

"I don't know Leona. Why am I looking at you like this? Could it be that you've been keeping secrets from me?"

She looked puzzled for a moment and the recognition dawned on her face. She darted her eyes away.

He noticed the recognition right away and sat back in his chair, crossing his arms authoritatively, "Yeah," he nodded. "I just got off the phone with Dan."

Leona smiled broadly, "I told you he'd calm down. He just needed time."

"Yeah right, whatever. Here's the thing. He told me that his housekeeper told him that you were going to your brother's for Thanksgiving. Why am I hearing about this from Dan's freakin' housekeeper?"

Leona shrugged, "I'd just decided and I was talking to Mildred outside of the bakery yesterday. It must have slipped out."

Chase didn't believe any of it, "You, Dan and Alison planned this, didn't you? You could have just come and talked to me about it. I always take your advice. I tell you everything."

_Well, almost_. He thought quickly.

"Oh really," she said as if she'd read his mind. "What about this _girlfriend_ you've got in L.A. You didn't tell me anything about her. When did you even meet her? What does she look like? Is she in school? Is she from a good family? I don't know anything about her."

"Alright," Chase protested, holding up his hands as if to fend off the onslaught of integration. "I was going to tell you, but things are kind of weird right now. Plus, she might be coming out for Christmas, so you can meet her. But let's not change the subject. You ambushed me."

A shadow of guilt darkened her face, "Okay, I admit it was underhanded, but you should spend time with your friends and I want to see my brother, so it all works out."

Chase shook his head and waved her off, "It's fine. I just don't appreciate being ambushed."

She smiled and caressed his cheek like a loving mother, "I know dear, but Leona knows best," she said half joking. "Now eat your salad. The roast is getting cold."


	7. Card 7: Queen of Swords

**Special Note:** It's been weeks since I've posted a new chapter. Partly because I've been taking a break from the story to see where I want to go with the plot and partly because I've been busy with finding a new apartment and then moving into said apartment. It was the move from hell, but I'm happy with the end result and I'm sure my new space will give me inspiration towards the story which is sorely needed. I don't have much to say about the chapter except that I hope you enjoy it and I should start updating on a regular basis again.

**This Is Absolution**

**Card 7: Queen of Swords**

Chase was still a little irritated with Leona, but he made it a point not to show it. He understood what she was doing and couldn't fault her for that, but he still wasn't happy about what she'd done and the way she'd gone about it.

He pulled up to the expansive Talbot estate and waited for the gates to open. He could see through the bars that there were already a lot of people at the main house as the luxury cars crowded the driveway, obscuring the view of the porch on the Classic Colonial.

Alison came out to meet him first on that mildly chilly Thanksgiving morning. She bounded out of the house and the delicious sent of roasted turkey and sweet potatoes followed after her as she jumped up into his arms, giving him a tight, slightly suggestive hug that was her signature.

She looked up at him and nodded, "Yup, you still look good."

"It's nice to see you too, Alison," he smiled and then pulled away from her.

Dan came out and whistled smoothly, "Nice ride. Is this the birthday gift?"

Chase nodded, "Yeah. I just got new rims on it. You like?"

Dan made his way down the front steps and walked around the car, eying the new 19 inch rims with chrome lips and black spokes, "Yeah, I like. It's nice. Makes me feel like I should trade in the Charger for one of these German deals." He came back around the car and stood next to his sister. They could have been twins with their light blue eyes, jet black hair and creamy pale skin.

"Would you come on already?" Kent's girlfriend, Julia yelled, dragging Kent by the hand behind her. She ran up to Chase and gave him a big hug and then punched him in the gut. "You're such an ass, Collins; breezing into town."

He rubbed his stomach where she'd hit him and smirked, "I was avoiding you, sweetheart. You're like the kiss of death to me."

She narrowed her eyes, "I'd laugh if I didn't know you were serious."

"He's just joking. Chill," Kent chimed in and gave Chase one of those complicated, manly handshake things that Julia didn't understand.

Chase's eyes sparkled at her, "You know I love you. Don't be mean," his smirk broadened.

She felt uncomfortable under his gaze and turned away, almost bumping into Andy and his sister Aaron as they came out to join the group. Andy gave Chase another complicated, manly handshake as Aaron hovered behind him looking down at the gravel driveway.

Chase's eyes immediately shifted to the 14 year old girl who'd been this gawky funny looking thing just three months ago, but had suddenly grown into her skin and was becoming a woman.

He nudged Andy to the side exposing his sister to his gaze, "You don't know how to say hi, Aaron?" He asked politely.

She let her eyes drift up and make contact with his steely gray orbs, and then they dropped down again and she shuffled back, "Hi," she said softly, immediately turning and running for the house and disappearing inside.

Dan snickered in the background and Chase smiled, "She's getting cute."

Andy immediately recoiled, "Stay away from her. You'll fucking break her heart."

"I have a girlfriend, Andy and she's what, like 14? She's jailbait… but she is getting cute and she's in love with me."

Andy rolled his eyes, "She's been in love with you for years. I'd rather her admire you from afar." He gave Chase a disappointed look. "You haven't changed. Still the playboy," he shot a glance at Alison. "She ruined you."

Dan snickered again not trying to defend his sister and Alison let out a breathy protest, "You're just jealous I didn't pick you," she sneered.

Julia waved her hands to shut them all up, "We should go back in the house. It's cold out here," she looked back at Chase, "There're all sorts of pastries and stuff inside for breakfast, but I'd go light on that. Dan's mom and grandmother are cooking enough food for all of Haversfield."

"It looks like all of Haversfield is here," Chase remarked, looking back at all the cars in the driveway.

Dan pushed passed them to the front door and shrugged, glancing over his shoulder, "I invited some kids from Somerville. Should be fun," he smiled.

"Dan is planning on having his own little private party in the guesthouse," Alison laughed.

Kent wrapped his arm around Julia and frowned, "I'm not surprised."

* * *

Reid was pissed.

Caleb had flaked on them yet again; bowing out of the raid on the morgue to try and work things out with Sarah as she'd called him and said she wanted to talk. Now Caleb and Sarah seemed as cozy as ever and there was still no resolution to what the hell had killed two people in Ipswich in the span of a couple of weeks.

Reid marveled at how everyone seemed perfectly okay with it. No one seemed the least worried and even Pogue had forgotten that there may or may not be some supernatural force at work in Ipswich which was technically their responsibility. He was too caught up in the hype of Kate coming back in a couple of days.

It was a typical Thanksgiving celebration for the Four Families as Reid walked into the sitting room of the Parry House with the chill of the morning following after him.

The years of silence had sucked the life out of the families and had penetrated everything, including holiday functions. It was as if they were afraid to speak for fear they might spill the secret, and this Thanksgiving was especially heavy and morose as it was the first observed without Caleb's father actually present or tucked away in the safety of the Danvers Colonial home.

Caleb felt the weight of his absence most of all, even more than his mother whose mental state seemed to have improved after the death of his father. She'd stopped drinking all together and had taken over running the Danvers household again, fluttering about the sitting room of the Parry main house like the perfect, good natured guest on this all American holiday.

"It's almost like she's happy he's dead," Caleb said, not with venom, but with fascination. After all, the steady decline of his father into power addiction had sent his mother on her own downward spiral into alcohol and prescription pill abuse. It must have been a relief to her to have him gone, sacrificing his life for his son.

Sarah stood next him and followed his gaze to his mother, "I don't think she's happy for herself. I think she's happy for him. His suffering is finally over and she's glad for it. She was dying with him; feeling his pain and now she's feeling his peace."

Caleb looked down at Sarah as she continued to watch his mother talk and smile with the rest of the Covenant wives. She wore a dark chocolate, high necked, halter dress that played off her creamy complexion. Her golden hair was in a loose bun and shiny wheat colored tendrils framed her face. She was wearing pearls in her ears and around her neck; not real pearls obviously, but she still looked elegant and lovely and a warm feeling weighted his chest as he gazed at her. She was so beautiful.

She felt his eyes on her and looked up at him with the most innocent expression. She had no idea how special she was and still felt tingly every time she caught him staring at her that way.

Reid rolled his eyes as he watched the interaction and immediately snatched up a glass of hot cider spiked with brandy from a passing serving tray. He took a swig as he plopped down on the sofa next to Tyler who seemed bored out of his mind.

"Took you long enough to get here," Tyler groaned. "Your mother's looking for you. She was worried you'd skipped out."

"And hear her mouth about it for the next year? I don't think so," Reid said irritably, taking another swig of cider. His face twisted into a frown, "We need something harder than this. Did you bring anything?"

Tyler was shocked, "Of course I did. I don't go anywhere without my stash. You know that." He gestured to the inner pocket of his suit jacket and then nodded toward the kitchen, "Pogue says there's grapefruit juice in the fridge. Vodka and grapefruit sound good to you."

"Only if it's three parts alcohol and no part juice," he answered, getting up from the sofa.

Tyler got up as well and then grabbed Reid's arm before he shot off to the kitchen, "We should asked Caleb and Sarah if they want to come too."

Reid's blue eyes drifted over in their direction and all the irritation he'd felt about Caleb blowing them off swelled, "He's busy, _as usual_. Let's leave him alone."

Tyler frowned. He knew what Reid was thinking; that Caleb had finally made it clear that he'd chosen Sarah over The Covenant; that he'd chosen a girl over his brothers. Tyler felt it too and didn't exactly know how to react. When you're in love, you're in love, but their situation was different. They had burdens to bear and secrets to keep. They didn't have the luxury of spending all their time crushing on a girl, even if she was as special as Sarah.

"Okay," He shrugged. "We'll find Pogue and then head out to the garden or something."

Reid shook his head, disgusted once again with another lovesick Covenant brother, "He's outside on his cell with Kate. He's… _busy_ as well. It's just you and me Ty!" he slung his arm around Tyler whom he'd always felt closest to even before they'd all hit 12 and started noticing girls.

Tyler nodded and felt hollowness in his gut. The four of them had always been together and he'd thought that would never change. Then Chase Collins came to town and shed light in dark places and made them do things and make decisions they wouldn't have made had he not entered their lives.

It was sad that things had to change. He understood that change was a part of life. He just wasn't expecting it to happen so quickly.

* * *

Chase stood in the corner of the guesthouse with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

He felt slightly out of place.

He had to keep reminding himself that he hadn't been gone that long, but things had changed; he had changed. The things that he cared about were not the same things his friends cared about… at least not anymore.

Once he'd ascended and his parents had died he was forced onto a road of discovery that he couldn't turn back on. He'd aged by years, been consumed with revenge and had fallen in love. He was a different man; not a boy still in his senior year of high school chasing tail and comparing cars.

He felt weighted by the realization. If it had been his choice, he would never have come back to Haversfield, but it wasn't his choice and he was there; hoping against hope that he would be able to slide back into his place like he hadn't been gone at all.

But he had been gone and his old life wasn't working anymore.

He stuffed his hands deeper into his pockets and headed to the door. He needed air and the blare of the television combined with the rowdy and benign conversation of the teenagers who were supposed to be his peers was getting to him. He tossed a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure Alison wasn't watching and slipped out of the front door and onto the small porch that faced the pool.

It was still chilly out and he pulled his hands out of his pants pockets and hastily stuffed them into his jacket pockets. He tugged his jacket snuggly around him and then stepped off the porch to sit on a brick planter whose flowers had gone dormant for the season.

He glanced over his shoulder again towards the guesthouse and was amazed at how stepping just outside seemed to dull the ruckus of the teenagers. His mind was clear to think and drift and of course, his thoughts immediately drifted to Claudia.

He wondered what she was doing at that moment. Was she with her family having Thanksgiving dinner like everyone else? Did she even celebrate Thanksgiving?

There were still so many things he didn't know about her; so many things they never got to discover during their short time in Arizona. He wanted to know everything about her and spend all his time using that knowledge to make her happy.

A smile spread across his lips as he thought about Claudia coming to Massachusetts to spend Christmas with him. He'd already made and paid for her flight reservations. She'd fly into Boston and he'd pick her up and drive her home the scenic route so she could see how beautiful the state was in the winter.

"You're smiling," a soft voice said from behind him.

He whipped his head around and laid eyes on a blonde with bright green eyes and freckles. He narrowed his gaze at her. She looked familiar. Did he know her?

"I'm sorry. Did I surprise you? You looked like you were deep in thought; happy thoughts. You were smiling to yourself," she said sweetly.

He shook his head, "I don't mean to be rude, but do I know you?"

She immediately giggled and bounded down the steps to stand before him, blocking his view of the gray sky and the yellows and reds of the changing maple leaves, "I guess I'm the one who's being rude. You sort of know me… we met at a Fourth of July barbeque. You know, right before…" she trailed off as she'd realized she'd come dangerously close to mentioning his parents and their sudden passing.

He shook his head again, "I don't remember, sorry. I met a lot of kids that day."

She shrugged, not taking offensive and swiftly sat down beside him on the brick planter, "It's okay. I know you have a lot of friends. You're pretty popular at Hastings. You know, you hang out with_ that_ group. Are you going to swim at Yale in the fall?"

Chase was a little shaken by this girl. She hadn't even introduced herself and she was already commenting on his social status and asking him if he was going to continue swimming when he went to Yale. How did she even know he'd been accepted?

Chase cleared his throat and tried to find his most polite tone, "Umm, what's your name? You claim we've met but honestly, I don't know who you are."

She shifted on the planter a little bit and for just a moment he thought he saw disappointment on her face. Then she tossed her long, honey colored hair over her shoulder and smiled again, "I'm Karen Asbury. Your parents knew my parents. That's how we got invited to the barbeque. They went to college together and I go to Somerville."

For a second Chase couldn't place the name and then it dawned on him. This was the girl his parents were talking about in the car that night. The one they'd wanted to invite out for the weekend. The one they'd liked and wanted him to date.

The thought of his parents talking causally about a girl they thought would be great for him made him smile. In that moment they were alive and well; being themselves just as he remembered.

He nodded his head, "I remember you now. My parents really liked you. They tried to hook us up. They were talking about you in the car that night…" He stopped himself before he said it out loud. He'd almost slipped and ruined the memory. "Anyway, they really liked you."

"Really?" Karen asked happily. "That's funny because my parents really liked you too. They were worried when you just took off, but they'll be happy to know that you're okay."

Chase nodded again, "That's good. Tell them I said hi or whatever… although I don't really know them."

Karen became giddy, "But you can get to know them! We could hang out and we know a lot of the same people so we'll probably see a lot of each other. We could be friends."

"I guess we could," he said smiling. Not that he needed more friends.

Karen turned away quickly and became silent, but she was smiling from ear to ear. She looked out at the pool and struggled to keep her elation in check.

When she'd met Chase Collins at the barbeque for the first time she was immediately attracted to him. He'd been witty and smart and terribly cute with the most gorgeous gray eyes she'd ever seen. He'd seemed so confident and unconcerned with what people thought of him and the way he'd smiled at her made her feel warm all over.

She knew that he probably had girls lined up around the corner, but she was betting on her parents' friendship with his parents to give her an edge and a chance to show him that she was girlfriend material. Besides, she was pretty and smart and from the right family. She was just like him. They would be perfect together.

She realized that sitting next to him on _that_ brick planter on _that_ Thanksgiving morning was destiny's way of giving her the opportunity to make things work with him.

She hadn't forgotten about him after they'd first met. In fact, she couldn't get him out of her head and when she'd heard that his parents had died in a car accident and that he had disappeared, she'd prayed that he was okay everyday because honestly, she'd already decided that this was the man she was going to marry. Now he was back and it was obviously fate that they meet again because they were meant for each other.

She turned toward him, forcing the silly grin from her face and putting on her most serious expression, "I know that things have been rough for you lately. I just want you to know that I think you're a great guy and I really would like to be friends… just friends. Plus I'm going to Yale too and it'd be nice to actually know someone there." She gave him the sweetest most genuine smile that she could muster and was ecstatic when he smiled back.

"Yeah, it would be nice to know someone," He said thoughtfully.

Karen let her face fall into a frown and looked back at the guesthouse, "I don't blame you for coming out here to get away from all that. There's something very… daunting about that whole scene. It's not really my style either."

"I just needed some air," Chase said quietly.

"Yeah, you were thinking," she observed, echoing his tone.

He nodded and smiled, "Yeah."

"What were you thinking about?" she asked cautiously. She'd only broken the ice with him five minutes ago and didn't want to step over the line.

"I was thinking about Arizona," he said openly. "I spent some time there and I liked it a lot."

"You mean recently? That's where you went after you left Spenser?" she asked astonished.

"Well yeah. I was taken there," he answered as he wondered how she knew so much about him.

"What do you mean taken? Someone took you there? Who was it, and why Arizona?" she asked, leaning into him with the upmost interest.

"Chase!" Alison called from the front door. She poked her head around the door frame and then stepped out onto the porch where she caught sight of Chase sitting on the planter. "What are you doing out here in the cold? Come back inside. Everyone is asking about you." She said as she came down the steps and then stopped as she saw Karen sitting with Chase and leaning into him as if they were sharing an intimate moment.

Chase's eyes shifted to Alison as he leaned away from Karen and smiled, "You know Karen Asbury, don't you Allie? She goes to Somerville."

Karen looked over at Alison and was immediately intimidated by the iced blue glare of the woman standing before them. She shifted away from Chase and wrapped her arms around herself defensively, then she forced a smile, "We've never met, but I've heard about you from Dan. It's nice to meet you."

Alison didn't bother to answer, but instead rolled her eyes and started toward the porch, "Dinners almost ready, so you should come inside. We'll be going back to the main house soon. You should get warm," she said, speaking to Chase only. She glided up the stairs without another word and let the front door slam behind her.

Although Chase was actually relieved that Alison had showed up and saved him from the third degree, he wasn't thrilled with her attitude. If this was the way she was planning on acting when Claudia came to town, she had another thing coming. He wasn't going to let the woman he loved and was going to marry be treated like that.

He turned to look at Karen and saw that she was fully aware of Alison's dislike for her simply because she'd been talking to him. He got up from the brick planter and stood before her, "Just ignore her. You can't let the bitches of the world get to you."

Her bright green eyes looked up at him and he could see that it took a moment for his reassurance to really sink in. She shook her head and looked down at the ground, "I've heard stories about her; mean ones… is there something going on between you two? Is that way she acted--?"

He shook his head interrupting her, "There's nothing going on between me and Alison… at least not anymore. She just feels like other chicks are competition, especially pretty ones. Like I said, just ignore her."

Karen nodded and then checked as she realized what he'd just said: _She just feels like other chicks are competition, especially pretty ones._

She felt her checks burn with the rush of blood. She was burning all over… he thought she was pretty.

Without noticing the sudden blush in Karen's cheeks he snapped his head toward the guesthouse, "We should go inside. It is getting pretty cold out here and I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

Karen got up from the planter and smiled shyly, "Yeah, you're right."

He stepped back and elegantly gestured for her to go ahead of him, "Ladies first," he cooed smoothly.

She wrapped her jacket tightly around her and timidly walked before him towards the porch. Once again he didn't notice the intense blush of her cheeks and the painfully broad smile that stretched from ear to ear.


	8. Card 8: Ace of Swords

**Special Note:** I feel like this chapter is a little weak, but it's essential for plot development and to move the story along. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get back into updating regularly as I have a lot of things going on right now, but I'm still plugging away at the story and am committed to finishing it… although I think this is going to be a long one.

**This Is Absolution**

**Card 8: Ace of Swords**

"Chase! What's wrong?" Claudia yelled as she picked up her cellphone and ignored the caller ID.

"Claudia? Is that you? It's Sienna."

Claudia's eyes bolted open as she'd realized the mistake she'd just made, "Sienna?"

"Yeah, Sienna," the woman said perplexed. "You know, your friend since grade school. Who's Chase?"

Claudia was silent and struggled for an answer that would cover up her massive fuck up.

"Ah…" Claudia stuttered, "Umm… he's my next door neighbor's son. I'm one of his emergency contact people… thingies… I thought it was him calling and something was wrong."

"Oh…" Sienna said, seeming only half convinced. "Well, anyway. I'm calling to let you know that I'm shipping out to Ipswich tomorrow."

Claudia sat straight up on the sofa, "Ipswich? Why?"

"There's something in the woods stirring up trouble out there. They think it might be a Cerberus, but they don't know so we're being dispatched to check it out. It's been a while since I've killed anything really vicious so it should be fun," she answered giddily.

"Oh," Claudia said, barely able to hide her relief. "Well, be careful. Don't get killed or anything."

Sienna laughed, "Are you kidding? I've killed two of these things already. I think I know what I'm doing but… they are especially nasty. I like the challenge."

"Yeah," Claudia nodded.

Sienna was silent for a moment and then spoke quietly "But that's not why I'm really calling. The Triplets are going out there in a couple of weeks too… for an extended stay. Something about getting a feel for the town and preparing it for… well, you know."

Claudia didn't answer.

"I guess they're really going to go through with it," Sienna said wistfully.

"I guess so," Claudia answered.

"Are you okay with that? You know, what they're going to do? You should have been here for the Thanksgiving banquet. They were so full of themselves; bragging about how well you came through for them and how swimmingly everything was going. They were annoying the shit out of everyone."

Claudia laughed, "The Triplets always annoy the shit out of everyone. That's their way, but it's not a choice of me being okay with it. I wrote the spell, I did my part… I'm out of it now. What do I care what happens to The Sons of Ipswich?"

"I guess you're right," Sienna agreed. "It's not like you know them personally or anything."

"Yeah, exactly," Claudia said softly.

"Well, like I said, I wanted to call and let you know what's up. Chances are we're going to cross paths with the boys as they seem to meddle in these kinds of things so if you want me to be especially observant while I'm out that way, I will. I know how into The Covenant history you are."

"Umm… yeah, sure. Thanks for thinking of me."

"No problem. I'm considerate that way. I'll give you a call when I get there as you won't hear from me until the assignment is completed and we debrief." Sienna said confidently.

"Okay. That's fine. I'll talk to you soon then," Claudia nodded.

"Yeah, really soon," she said and then hung up.

Claudia ended the call and let her cellphone fall to the cushion beside her. What the hell was she thinking not checking the caller ID before she answered the phone?

Ever since she'd met Chase Collins she'd been making mistakes. It was like the moment she set eyes on him all her common sense went out of the window. Was that what love was supposed to be like? Were you supposed to act especially stupid when you met someone you were emotionally and physically attracted to? She didn't think so. It was just him; he was the problem. He was just trouble and damned if she knew why she was working so hard to make things work.

On a darker note, she'd expected The Triplets to take a trip to Ipswich, but not this soon. What were they trying to accomplish by imbedding themselves into the town this early? Angela couldn't possibly be so morbid as to want to get to know the people she was about to slaughter like lambs… but then again, Angela was power hungry and nothing evokes more power than holding someone's life in your hands.

Claudia knew that she was slacking as far as trying to find a way to keep The Five Sons alive. She'd found that bombshell about Gorman Twoberry and hadn't even told Chase about it. Her cowardice was holding her back and keeping her from giving him information that he could really use simply because she was afraid of what might happen if she got on the phone with him.

It'd been weeks since they'd talked or seen each other. She hadn't gone a moment without thinking about him and pretending that he was lying next to her, holding her. She was afraid that she might break down like she'd done the day she'd sent him away and all her vulnerabilities and weaknesses would come pouring out. She was afraid he would think less of her because of that.

In short, she was a fool.

She was wasting her time avoiding the bigger issue; procrastinating at the worst possible moment because she was scared and for the first time in her life she didn't know what she should do next.

She didn't have a plan, she didn't have anything and the desperation of the situation was pushing her into depression and paralysis.

She'd noticed that Martin had been watching her as well; waiting for her to make a move or come up with some brilliant plan, but as each day passed and Christmas began to creep up on them, the more worried he got and the more he wanted to step in and take control of things.

"I wish he would take control of things," she whispered aloud, and for once her malevolent inner voice didn't answer with some scathing retort.

Her phone began to ring by her side and she rolled her eyes. It was probably Martin calling from some little antique shop on 2nd street giddy with a new purchase he'd just made that would go great in his house in Arizona.

She reached down, snatching up the phone with an irritated flick of the wrist and answered it, _again_ without checking the caller ID.

"What is it now?" she asked curtly and was staggered by the response on the other end of the phone.

"What the fuck, Claudia!! I've been waiting for you to call! It's been weeks! What are you trying to do? I thought we settled this relationship shit," Chase yelled.

Claudia was stunned into silence. She didn't know what to say. The last person she'd expected to call right then was Chase.

"Hello? Claude? Fucking talk to me!"

"I… I can't… I'm not ready," she stuttered and pulled the phone away from her ear to hang up.

Chase's voice bellowed from the receiver, "Don't you fucking hang up on me! You talk to me right now!"

Claudia immediately obeyed the command and drew the phone back to her ear, "Chase…"

"Chase what," he asked mockingly. "If you have something to say, say it. I know; how about you take a crack at explaining yourself. Do you know how pissed off I was when you pulled that disappearing act on me? You have no idea! You have no clue!"

"I know but…"

"But what? You had your reasons? It was for my own good? Save that shit. The only thing that's good for me is being close to you."

'That's not true…"

"Shut up! You don't get to make anymore decisions. You don't get an opinion. You do what I tell you to do when I tell you to do it. Do you understand?"

"Hey, wait a minute…"

"No, it's over. I gave you space. I was all respectful and shit trying to be somebody that I'm not, but I'm over it. You're coming here, to Haversfield for Christmas and New Year's. I've bought the plane tickets; I'll pick you up at the airport. Pack a bag and get your ass to LAX. I need to see you."

"I can't just pack up and leave!"

"The fuck you can't."

"Who the hell do you think you are ordering me around!? I'm not a goddamned dog!"

"I'll tell you who I am. I'm your boyfriend. You know, the man in your life. The one who loves you more than anything. The one you treat like shit. Yeah, that's me and I'm sick of being manipulated by you and always doing things your way. How the hell did you think I would react to what you did? What did you expect? Like I said, I'm over this shit. I want you here with me at least for the holidays. I deserve that much. I'm not asking you to move here, I'm just asking for Christmas and no, I don't care if you don't celebrate it. It's not really about Jesus anymore anyway. It's about the gifts so there's no reason for you to say no."

Claudia was completely silent. She didn't know what to say or what to do… but she wanted to see him… desperately.

"Okay," she said coolly. "I'll come… but on one condition. You have to go to Ipswich before I get there. I know you haven't gone yet."

He was silent.

"Chase! You have to go. The Triplets are coming in a couple of weeks and the four of them need to be prepared. I know you have beef with them, but get over it. This is for you too," she pleaded.

"I said I would go and I will. I'll go this weekend. I've already planned it," he confessed dryly.

"Are you lying," she asked.

"I don't have any reason to lie and if it will get you on a plane to Massachusetts then I'll do it."

"Alright then, we're agreed," she thought for a moment. "I can't believe I'm doing this. I can't believe I agreed to this."

Chase ignored her remark, "I'll send an e-mail with your ticket info and crap. Your flight is this Monday. I miss you and I love you."

Claudia hated the feeling that welled in her gut when he said that. "I love you too," she admitted reluctantly.

"I know," he said and she knew that he was smiling on the other end of the phone.

* * *

Chase's Deus hung up the cellphone and drifted its head to the left to stare at the mirror across the bedroom. Its onyx eyes blazed and it let a slow smile ease across Chase's face as it was very pleased with what it had accomplished that day.

Did it feel a little guilty for tricking Claudia into thinking it was Chase… sure, but it had to do what it had to do to remedy the situation of their separation if at least for a little while.

As far as the boy went, it would make sure that when he stirred from his waking dream he would know that he had talked to Claudia. He would know that she agreed to visit him for the holidays and that he'd agreed to carry out his task at Ipswich. He wouldn't remember how it all came about and he would be puzzled by that, but he'd forget about it quickly as the thought of Claudia coming to Haversfield would bring him great joy.

The Deus' smile broadened.

It had been crafty, but she'd been very crafty herself, pulling that fading spell and sending Chase back home without them having consummated their relationship.

It knew what she was up to; trying to hold on to her virginity as if those things were important. It was irritated by this and would make sure she was pregnant by the time she left Haversfield. Besides, it was evident by now that it had no problem stepping in to make things happen when Chase and his silly sentimentality towards her had failed.

But he couldn't force her.

She meant too much to Chase to do that. It would have to use other, softer means. Means that wouldn't estrange them, but hopefully make them stronger as soul mates. Chase loved her; he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He desired this and The Deus always did as Chase desired… always.

* * *

Everyone at Spenser knew that the picnic table under the large maple tree was reserved for _them_; The Four Sons of Ipswich, the founding families of Spenser and the wealthiest boys in Essex County if not all of Massachusetts.

No one, absolutely no one dared sit there or feel the wrath of Reid Garwin, Tyler Simms and their occasional heavy, Pogue Parry. So, when Reid came strolling out of Dorsett Hall with a thick, official looking manila folder slung under his arm, ready to read the juicy tid-bits inside, he was stunned when he saw a dark haired women dressed in black sitting on _his_ bench with a notepad in her hand, scribbling hastily.

He crossed the grass in broad strides and was soon standing next to the woman with his hands in his pockets, waiting.

Her hair had fallen into her face and although the sky was gray and heavy with clouds, she had dark, thick rimmed sunglasses on and the brightest red lipstick Reid had ever seen. She didn't even register his presence and continued to write in her notepad with her gloved hand racing across the ruled paper.

Reid began to tap his fingers inside his pockets. Could she really not know that he was standing there or did she just not care? He let out a heavy sigh and the heat of his breath steamed and dissipated in the late autumn cold.

Still nothing.

Reid was pissed. No one ignored him like that. His presence was always known. That was just how he rolled. Could this chick possibly be so absorbed in what she's doing that she really hadn't noticed _him_; Reid fucking Garwin?

"Hey," Reid said irritably. "Hello? Yeah, you're kind of sitting at my table. Are you new here, because, you know, it's kind of implied."

The woman stopped writing immediately and slowly turned her head toward Reid. Her hair fell out of her face revealing the smooth, tanned skin of a Native American, but from the western states, not from around there.

Although she had sun glasses on he could tell that she'd narrowed her eyes at him; sizing him up. She let a smirk ease up the right corner of her mouth and then the red lips moved with a slow deep voice humming on the frosty air. "Relax, kid. I'm just looking around. I'll be gone in a minute."

Reid let his shoulders fall back in a defiant stance and he cocked his head to one side. She was hot, but she was no student. She was older and had a cool reserve about her. What the hell was she doing on the Spencer campus? Was she related to someone?

Despite her hotness and his impulse to hit on her, he shook his head, "Umm, I don't know what you're doing, but this is a closed campus and I have…" he looked down at his watch, "…45 minutes left for lunch which is being wasted here talking to you while you're sitting in my seat. Unless you're supposed to be here, I suggest you move along…" Reid trailed off and his mouth dropped open in astonishment as he realized that the woman had turned back to her notepad and had scribbled the last of her notes before snapping it shut forcefully as if she hadn't been listening at all.

She stood up from the bench and looked down at it, scratching her head as if she was puzzled. Then she shrugged and tossed her glossy black hair over her shoulder and let out a sigh before smirking at the fair-haired boy before her, "See, that wasn't even a minute. More like 30 seconds if you ask me."

She began to walk past him and nudged his shoulder as she crossed the grass, forcing him out of her way.

He whipped around angrily, "Hey, what the hell were you looking at just now?"

She stopped in her tracks, but didn't turn around to face him, "I was just looking at the bench. Funny, but I couldn't find your name on it anywhere."

Reid felt rage boil up in him. This chick sure could talk shit. Who the hell was she anyway?

Before he could open his mouth to spew some snarky remark she was half way across the length of the quad, heading towards a glistening black Chrysler 300 with heavily tented windows and 24 inch chrome rims.

* * *

Sienna slammed the car door behind her as she plopped into the driver's seat of the Chrysler and threw her notepad into the back seat.

Charlie leaned forward and looked past her, across the Spenser quad, "Was that Reid Garwin you were just talking to?" He asked surprised.

"Yeah; irritating bastard. He was bitching about me sitting at his little picnic table. I guess he has nothing better to do."

"Are you serious," Charlie asked giggling. "He was upset about that? Well… I guess those are the kinds of things you get upset about if you're in high school."

Sienna shrugged and started up the car, "I wouldn't know. I've never been."

"Oh, right," Charlie nodded. "Well," he said changing the subject. "Did you find anything out at the first crime scene?"

"Nothing really. There weren't any trances of saliva and the blood splatter wasn't "wild" enough. Makes me think it was something smaller than a Cerberus. The tree trunks would have been ripped up too because those things just go insane, but I didn't see any of that out there. I don't know… it's weird. Not what I expected," she said thoughtfully.

"Maybe we'll find more at the second crime scene."

"Maybe," she nodded as she backed out of the parking space. "I sure hope so. I don't want to be stuck in Ipswich for longer than a week. This better not turn into something other than a seek and destroy."


	9. Card 9: Six of Chalices

**Special Note: **More plot development in this chapter and Kate is back. I think I'm going to have a lot of fun writing her character as you really don't learn much about her in the movie. Also, the tension is building between the four Sons of Ipswich and I think Reid is going to have a bigger part in this story than I had originally intended, but it's all good. I guess I'm starting to understand why so many people write about him all the time. Oh, and Chase goes to Ipswich in chapter 10. So yeah, that should be a fun disaster. I still haven't figured out how I'm going to work that, but rest assured I'll make it as sensational as possible.

**This Is Absolution**

**Card 9: 6 of Chalices **

Reid tapped his fingers impatiently as he; Tyler, Caleb and Pogue hunkered down for study hall in the library.

The previous day's confrontation with the hot chick at the picnic table was still bugging the shit out of him and as a myriad of unanswered questions raced through his mind, he was compelled to fall back in his chair, let out a heavy sigh and toss his text book on the table with its loud thud echoing through the library.

Tyler looked up from his notes, "What's the matter with you?" he whispered.

Reid shook his head and sank deeper into his chair.

Caleb looked up from his history book, shifting his eyes to Reid, "Seriously, what the hell is your problem. It's obviously something and if you refuse to talk about it then stop acting out and rub some dirt in it. You're so fucking dramatic."

Reid narrowed his eyes at Caleb.

He hadn't forgotten about him blowing them off for Sarah and he was positive that he had become more arrogant and bossy since he'd ascended. He let his eyes drift to Pogue who was due to ascend right after Christmas and hoped like hell he wouldn't turn out the same way.

He pushed himself up in his chair and smiled sarcastically, "It doesn't have anything to do with Sarah so it wouldn't interest you."

"Nice," Tyler said as he rolled his eyes and shook his head in irritation.

Pogue dropped his pen on the table and sat back in his chair ready for the battle to commence.

Caleb's shoulders stiffened, "It was fucked up. I admit that, but you wouldn't understand--"

"Why, because I'm not in love?" Reid interrupted. "Thank god for that. I'd hate to be as screwed up in the head as you and Pogue. Your priorities are completely fucked up over some pussy.

"Whoa," Pogue interjected. "Wait a minute."

"Don't start," Reid hissed. "Kate's back and you're going to start blowing us off too. Isn't it bothering you guys that there's something out there that's killing people? If you really cared about your girlfriends you'd be concerned with what's going on. They're in danger just like everyone else."

"When the hell did you grow a fucking conscious?" Caleb retorted. "You've never given a shit about anyone else before, but now all of the sudden you're playing hero."

"Someone has to since the position seems to be vacant," Reid countered dismissively.

"Are you implying that I'm supposed to be the hero here?" Caleb asked.

Reid shrugged.

"You're fucking serious?" He asked again, completely dumbfounded.

"You've been hogging the title all this time and now you're blowing it off because it doesn't have anything to do with Sarah," Reid sneered. "I grew a fucking conscious when he who shall not be named came to town and started fucking shit up. When did you start being a flake?"

"A flake--" Caleb's face reddened with anger. He turned to Tyler, "Do you agree with him? Do you think I've become "flaky"?"

Tyler's eyes widened like he was a deer caught in headlights, "Oh no," he shook his head. "This isn't about me or what I think."

"You're a part of this too," Caleb insisted. "Now, do you think I'm being a flake or not?"

Tyler shook his head again and his mouth hung open. He had no idea how to answer the question.

Caleb stared at him, waiting for an answer and as his eyes searched Tyler's, finding only uncertainty and fear, the weight of realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

Tyler couldn't answer because he felt like he couldn't be honest with him. And even if Tyler took the chance and told him the truth; told him what he really thought about the whole sordid mess of the Chase Collins fiasco and the tension between him and Reid it wouldn't make any difference. He was so caught up in his own world; so utterly consumed with keeping Sarah that he wouldn't listen anyway.

He looked away, letting his eyes shift to the floor.

What the hell was happening to him? When did he get like this? When did he get so self absorbed? Was he so afraid of starting over with another girl that he'd convinced himself that Sarah was the one although she might not be? Was he afraid another girl wouldn't accept him like Sarah had, despite all of his shortcomings?

His heart was beating so fast at the flood of epiphany that he felt as if he was suffocating. Why was yet another simple fight with Reid bringing all of this out in him?

He let his eyes shift to Pogue and then let them fall back to the ground again as he knew that Pogue was caught in the middle too, just like Tyler.

He had things to say, but couldn't say them for fear that Caleb wouldn't hear him; that he'd brush him of just like he'd done to Reid… multiple times.

"I have to go," Caleb breathed as he gathered his books and stuffed them in his backpack. The shame of it was hanging on him like slim and he couldn't bear it.

"So what? Are you just gonna run away and avoid the issues here?" Reid demanded. He wasn't ready for this to end. He wanted to come to a conclusion; be it in his favor or not.

Caleb let his eyes dart to Reid, but didn't answer. He scooted back from the table and stood up abruptly, grabbing his uniform blazer and slinging his backpack over his shoulder.

Pogue watched him, but didn't try to stop him from leaving and Tyler just looked on at a loss as to what to do.

"I'll catch you guys later," he whispered harshly as he made broad strides across the room to the library exit.

Their study hall chaperon, a stunted, balding English professor with thick-rimmed glasses looked up from his stack of graded papers, "Mr. Danvers, where do you think you're going? The period isn't over yet. Take your seat."

Caleb ignored him, brushing past and swinging the doors open toward the hall. He was gone in an instant and the other students were drawn from their text books to look after him and whisper among themselves.

The English professor grunted, "Everyone back to work. There's nothing to see."

They hesitated, but turned back to their textbooks, continuing to whisper about why Caleb Danvers had rushed out of study hall so suddenly.

* * *

Kate sat in the Spenser main office with one leg crossed over the other and her cellphone in her hands, texting to a friend back in Toronto. 

As she sat patiently waiting to see Provost Higgins, she reminisced and dwelled on the blissful few weeks she'd spent back home in Canada recuperating from her "mysterious" allergic reaction to a spider bite and the disappointment to be back in Massachusetts; moments away from resuming her life as the snotty Spenser upperclassmen joined at the hip to Pogue Parry.

She thought about Pogue and her face immediately twisted into a frown, then she heard the creak of the Provost's door and saw his elderly eye peek out at her through the slit in the entryway.

He extended his chubby finger and motioned for her to enter. She let her eyes shift to the receptionist who was consumed with her paperwork and then shrugged and hopped up from her seat.

The Provost only opened the door enough for her to enter and then shut it tight behind her, "You look well, Miss Tunney. I see you've survived you run in with Chase."

"Just barely," she scoffed and flopped down on the worn leather sofa across from the Provost's desk.

Higgins shrugged and unbuttoned his jacket as he sat down at his desk, "He was a little more far gone than we expected."

"A little," Kate quipped with sarcasm. "He was completely postal by the time he got here and then the little asshole tired to kill me. What the hell was that?"

Provost Higgins raised his hand at her profanity as if to shoo it away, "Please, Kate, you're language."

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms against her chest definitely, "Excuse me, sir. I'd forgotten myself."

He nodded accepting her apology and tapped his pen on his desk as if he was thinking.

"They don't think he's dead," Kate sighed. "They think he's still out there somewhere or that maybe Caleb sent him between planes and he's trapped. But you know they're hoping that he's still alive because the whole thing won't work without him in corporeal from. They need all five."

"I know, Miss Tunney. I'm well aware," Higgins breathed. "This whole thing is quite ridiculous."

"To think," Kate continued, not paying attention to the Provost. "I made it so easy for him. I bent over backwards to get him in with the other Sons and he didn't even take advantage of it. I tried to help him and he fucking used me as bait."

"Kate!" Higgins declared. "I'm still your superior. I won't ask you again."

Kate smirked and turned her head away, but didn't bother to apologize. There was silence for a moment and then she spoke up, "So what now? Do you want me to keep doing what I'm doing? Keep playing Pogue's girlfriend; keep putting in the monthly reports; keep playing this game?"

Higgins nodded, "In the meantime… yes. There's no need to make any sudden moves. That's not your job or mine. We're just seekers. We observe and manipulate, but quietly. Besides, this will all be over by June and you'll be free to do what you like."

"Do what I like" she said thoughtfully, a smile surfacing. "It sounds too good to be true. I mean, I've been doing this for so long that seeing the light at the end of the tunnel is weird for me… but I'll adjust," She added happily.

"I'm sure you will," The Provost smiled.

The smile faded from her face as she thought about Pogue, "I think he's going to tell me. He's kind of obligated after what happened. And if I play his ditzy little girlfriend to the hilt I'll have to keep at him about it."

"Do what you have to. I think you're a little jealous that Caleb told Sarah first anyway," The Provost smirked.

Kate balked, "You're kidding, right?"

Higgins shrugged, "Well, you've been at this for almost 5 years. You'd think he would have confided in you by now whereas she's been here all of three months and Caleb has told her everything. You aren't a little bitter about that?"

"Hardly," she snipped. "Getting Pogue to spill his guts is not the objective of my mission. If anything I've proven my worth to this operation by making him so comfortable that he feels like he doesn't have to tell. I haven't pressured him at all and he trusts me enough not to be worried that I might suspect something and feel compelled to tell me his secret before it all blows up in his face. Sarah was nosey and now she's caught up in sh— … _stuff_ she can't handle. I don't envy her at all."

Higgins sat back in his chair, "If you say so."

"I DO say so," Kate hissed.

"Relax, Miss Tunney. I believe you. We've been in this together for a long time and I've taught you everything I know. I'm glad that you realize what a value you are to the Ipswich assignment… I wouldn't expect any less of you."

Kate let out a weighted sigh and started to tap her foot on the hardwood floor. Despite her disappointment at being back at Spenser she had a job to do and was anxious to get back at it.

Provost Higgins sensed her impatience and leaned forward at his desk, "Spend some time with Sarah and find out where she is mentally. I've been keeping an eye on her and she hasn't been doing well not to mention she and Caleb have been having very public fights about what I assume is Chase. You need to keep her glued together until June at least and if that's not possible, let me know so we can send her home. She'll just be a distraction."

"Anything else?" Kate asked.

"I also want you to pay a visit to Gorman Twoberry and see what's going on with him. He's kept himself cooped up at the Danvers estate since the death of Caleb's father and the news that he's under investigation."

"You don't think he did anything, do you?" Kate said, raising an eyebrow with interest.

"I don't know, but I've known that man a long time and he's been doing this far longer than even I have."

Kate shrugged, "That's fine. I guess I'll steal some time with him when I'm at Caleb's house with Pogue."

"Alright," Higgins said waving a hand to dismiss her. "I'm sure you have unpacking to do and such. I'll expect a report on Sarah by the end of the week."

Kate nodded and stood up from the sofa. She headed to the door and then stopped before opening it, "What do _you_ think happened to Chase?"

Higgins sat back in his chair and the weight of his thoughts seemed to cast a cloud over him, "I think he's alive and well and waiting. Too many people have underestimated him from the start and that is a mistake. I think he's going to make things hard for everyone and they will regret not taking him more seriously."

* * *

Sarah was so excited to have Kate back she could barely stand it.

When she'd walked into her dorm room and saw Kate's bags on the floor an intense feeling of relief washed over her. Finally she wasn't alone anymore and prey to the vicious bitches at the school who stared at her with cold, hateful eyes.

She tossed her backpack onto her bed and sat on the edge with a grin on her face. Things were starting to get back to normal; she and Caleb were in a safer place… it looked like Christmas wasn't going to suck after all.

Sarah's head turned to the door as she heard the familiar jingle of keys. She let out a deep breath and a smile brightened her face.

Kate pushed the door open swiftly and stopped in her tracks as she caught sight of Sarah sitting on the bed, grinning like an idiot.

She forced herself to smile and closed the door behind her, "Hey, how's it going?"

Sarah hopped up from the bed and before Kate could protest, she hugged her with such enthusiasm that they fell back against the door.

Kate was paralyzed for a moment and then she limply patted Sarah on the back, "I'm happy to see you too," she said through clenched teeth.

Sarah pulled away and although there were tears in her eyes, she was smiling, "You don't know how glad I am that you're back! I'm so happy that you're okay and everything can go back to normal again."

"Were things that bad while I was gone?" Kate asked, stepping around Sarah toward her bed as she took off her jacket.

Sarah's head bobbed like a bobble headed doll, "Yes, it totally sucked."

Kate couldn't help but get a little satisfaction from that. Although she hated Ipswich with a passion that threatened to consume her soul, she liked the idea that things would be completely thrown out of whack just because she'd gone home for a couple of weeks. None of them could make it without her and that was nice.

She cleared her throat and tossed her cellphone on her nightstand before crossing her legs casually and flipping her long, dark hair over her shoulder, "It's a good thing I came back when I did then. I'd hate for you all to be so miserable without me."

Sarah fell to her knees in front of Kate and grabbed her hands that were folded on her lap, "You have no fucking idea. I just--" Tears began to fill her eyes again and she reached up to hug Kate.

Before she could embrace her, Kate held up her hands, "I get it, but come on now. A girl needs her space."

"Oh," Sarah said. "I'm sorry. You're right. I must look like a total dork to you right now." She got up from her knees and sat on the edge of her bed as embarrassment reddened her face. "It's just…I missed you and besides Caleb… you're really the only friend I have here.

Seeing the loneliness on Sarah's _innocent_ face, Kate forced herself to soften "I guess the rich bitches are still hating. We're definitely gonna have to do something about that now that I'm back."

Sarah nodded and looked down at the floor as her smile broadened. She was SO ecstatic that Kate was back.

"You know," Kate said letting out a bored sigh. "I'm really glad I went home. It was a serious reminder of what normal life is like. It also fed my hatred for these holier than thou, silver-spooned sluts." Kate allowed her biggest toothy grin to spread across her face, and as it did she could see that this was exactly what Sarah needed.

"Oh my god, I'm so glad you're here!" Sarah declared, letting all her joy spill out of her.

"Yeah, I think we've covered that," she said sarcastically and then snatched her jacket up off of the bed. "I don't know about you, but I'm freaking STARVING! Grab your stuff I'm taking you to dinner."

She slid on her jacket and grabbed her purse as Sarah scrounged around for her stuff and stopped to check herself out in the mirror before giddily hopping behind her as she opened the door.

She swung the door open and let Sarah go first and as she bounced down the hall without a care in the world, Kate narrowed her eyes at her, amazed at how someone so sweet and innocent could also be so helpless and self absorbed.


	10. Card 10: Seven of Chalices

**This Is Absolution**

**Card 10: Seven of Chalices**

Chase sat at his kitchen table desperately trying to hide his irritation from Kent, Andy and Dan.

They'd shown up at his doorstep at 5:30 in the morning, grinning like fools and asking what was for breakfast as if he hadn't been sleeping soundly (which was a rarity), and had nothing better to do but be up before the sun pierced the sky to indulge his friends.

As soon as Leona heard the ruckus downstairs, she immediately smiled brightly at the intruders and started on a massive feast, which they were enjoying right in front of him as he plotted a way to politely put them out.

He sank deeper into his chair as his first mistake dawned on him. He should never have mentioned that he was going back to Ipswich to "run an errand."

They were dying to know what had made him pack up and transfer to a rival academy, so they'd happily invited themselves along with the excuse that no one should spend two hours alone in a car without a little company.

It amazed him how Claudia had no idea the can of worms she'd opened by sending him home.

How was he supposed to do the things she'd demanded of him all the while keeping up a persona he didn't identify with anymore _and_ keep his friends out of the fray; close enough to not suspect, but far enough away to not get burned.

_When I see her… _Chase thought; then it occurred to him that he would see her and very soon. He couldn't stop the blush from rising in his cheeks anymore than he could erase the huge grin that was now plastered on his face.

"Dude what is up that smile, you look like the Joker?" Dan asked as he drowned his waffles in syrup. "One minute you look like we just walked in on you, your shredder and a fist full of bank statements and now you're the happiest kid in the world. What's the deal, Collins?"

Chase's face collapsed into mock mortification, "I don't know how to say this but… I've spent the last four months in an insane asylum. I know… I should have told you… I was so ashamed." He wiped away his fake tears dramatically.

"You're such an ass," Dan frowned and stuffed a fork full of waffles into his mouth.

"Whatever," Chase said, smirking sarcastically and sitting back in his chair. He hadn't touched his breakfast. "So, what's it going to take for you all to get lost and not tag along with me on my little road trip?"

"Nothing," Dan said flatly. "We're going, so get over it." He swung his fork through the air in Leona's direction, "See, my sweetheart Leona has already packed a lunch for us with a little something special in it for me, so no dice trying to ditch us."

"That's right," Kent chimed in. "As soon as I'm done with my waffles we can go…are you gonna eat yours?" He asked pointing to Chase's untouched plate.

"Sick!" Andy remarked. "Didn't your mother teach you any manners? We don't need to _see_ your breakfast while you're bloody eating it," He grimaced and took a sip of his fresh squeezed orange juice. He turned to Leona and smiled broadly. "Leona you are a goddess in the kitchen, please forgive my friend Kent for his unforgivable rudeness."

Leona patted Andy on the head like a puppy, "Anything for my sweet boys," she smiled before giving Chase a look that said he should be a better host.

He rolled his eyes at the ridiculousness of the whole thing.

How could she coddle them so much? They weren't kids anymore. She was just feeding into their rich white boy mentalities; always getting what they want, but… he supposed there was an upside to them riding along. He was about to walk into the lion's den and the Sons were less likely to trip out if he had some unsuspecting innocents with him that had no beef and no clue about what was going on.

Leona nodded toward his plate, "You need to eat something, Chase. Please, at least a few bites."

Chase frowned and leaned forward, picking up the syrup and reluctantly pouring it over his waffles. He took a small bite and then sat back in his chair, "Happy now?" he asked with a mouth full of food. He was cranky as hell.

Leona narrowed her eyes at him and smiled, "Yes, I am and stow the attitude. What is wrong with you this morning?"

Chase shrugged, but didn't answer and instead looked over his shoulder and out of the window at the maple trees which were still bright with fall color although it was early December.

Leona shook her head and walked back towards the sink to start washing up the dishes. She dunked her hands into the soapy water and looked over her shoulder again at Chase who was still looking out of the window completely lost in thought as Dan, Andy and Kent bickered with each other over which car they would use for the trip.

Her stomach felt hollow and heavy all at the same time. She was worried about Chase. He hadn't been in this bad a mood since he'd returned from where ever he'd been and that was a concern to her.

Was it just the fact that his friends had invited themselves along without his permission or was it the actual trip back to Ipswich that was annoying him? He'd only been there for a few weeks. Had things gone so terribly wrong at Spenser that the thought of going back was that horrible to him?

He'd always been the most popular boy; the life of party. Everyone loved him, so why wouldn't it be the same at Spenser even if he had only been there less than a month.

She snapped her head back toward the dishes and let out an exasperated sigh. She was doing it again. She was trying to get into his head and figure out the mystery that was him and of course it wasn't working. Chase wasn't someone you could figure out. He had two sides; a double life. It had always been that way and it was useless to try and understand a boy who was hiding so many secrets.

* * *

They'd decided on the Charger instead of Chase's BMW because it was bigger and had four doors. Chase didn't care either way. He just wanted to get the whole thing over with.

He'd made the thing out to be so dramatic, imagining that once they'd crossed the Ipswich city limit, dark clouds would engulf the sky and demons would begin to shriek from the underworld to signal that the Putnam son was back for his well deserved revenge.

But it didn't happen like that at all. In fact, it was completely uneventful.

They breezed into town with Dan behind the wheel just like they were taking a day trip to the historical township. No shrieking demons, no pitch black rain clouds; just Ipswich as he remembered it when he'd first arrived to start his senior year at Spenser.

"There isn't much to this place is there?" Dan commented.

"What were you expecting?" Chase asked as he looked out of the window at the passing scenery.

Dan shrugged as he turned the corner onto the Ipswich main drag which was heavy with signs of the Christmas holiday, "I don't know… I just figured this place had to be something special for you to just pick up and leave like you did."

Chase's grunt dripped with distaste, "It's special, but not for the reasons you think."

Dan turned and looked at him, "What does that mean?"

He shook his head and shifted in his chair uncomfortably, "Nothing," He said shortly. "Just forget it."

Kent leaned forward, sticking his head in between the two front passenger seats, "Hey, can we stop? I have to go to the little boy's room."

"Go up a block," Chase said, pointing down the street. "There's a drug store on the corner. You can go there."

* * *

"Hey, I have to stop by Haskell's," Pogue announced grandly as he, Tyler, and Reid strolled down Arbor Street toward the marina.

Tyler looked up from his book, "And you needed to share that because…"

Reid rolled his eyes, "He just wants us to know that he and Kate are back in business. That's all. Why don't you scream it from the rooftops while you're at it? You're not the only one getting laid around here."

"Yeah, must be pretty boring with no opportunity for variety. Like eating chicken every night," Tyler commented without taking his eyes off his book.

"You know I could blow your sweet and innocent cover with all the chicks in this town and fuck your shit up. Then I really would be the only one getting laid around here," Pogue sneered.

Reid laughed but then stopped abruptly, "Hey!! What about me?"

Pogue shifted his green eyes in Reid's direction, "What about you?"

Reid was just about to open his mouth and argue when Tyler interrupted him, "What about Caleb? He and Sarah are intimate, aren't they?"

Pogue was silent.

"You can't be serious?" Reid's astonishment was obvious. "I thought for sure they were…"

"They've only been together a couple of months and Sarah's got class. She's like Kate that way. It was six months before Kate and I took the next step." Pogue said dismissively.

"People bond faster when they've been through life and death experiences. I knew they were having problems but…" Tyler said thoughtfully.

"Look!" Pogue snapped angrily. "Just because they aren't fucking doesn't mean there's something wrong. Yes, they're going through shit, but that has nothing to do with it. Like I said, Sarah isn't a fucking whore so let's stop reading into it. It's Caleb's business anyway."

Tyler snapped his head up from his book and Reid raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Okay," Reid whispered with annoyance. "We won't talk about it. Don't get you panties in a bunch. It's not like _you're_ the one having the relationship trouble."

* * *

Chase was leaned against the Charger as Kent rushed into Haskell's Drugstore to find a bathroom. Dan and Andy followed in lazily, laughing at Kent's urgency and betting a hundred dollars that he wouldn't make it in time.

"If he blows before he gets to the bathroom he's taking a cab home. I'm not letting him into my car with pissy pants," Dan said before pushing the door open to the store.

Andy stopped and asked if Chase was coming in with them, but he smiled and shook his head. He'd already been in there once before with Kate and Sarah; playing the new transfer student, flirting with Kate and watching Sarah flirt her way into Caleb's car.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked over his shoulder toward the marina just on the other side of the street.

The trees had already changed and were beginning to lose the majority of their leaves with the salty smell of the ocean in the air. It was colder there because of the water; not like Haversfield with its trees still bright with reds and yellows and the lingering touch of fall.

He hoped that the leaves would stay that way so Claudia could see them. It was already odd that they were still on the trees this late in the season and he desperately wanted Claudia to see how beautiful the fall was as he knew they didn't have anything like that in California or Arizona.

_Claudia._

She was flying in that coming Sunday. It had been so long since he'd seen her. He was half expecting her to look like a different person; not like he remembered… and he did remember; the smell of her, the softness of her skin, the contrast of light and dark when they were pressed together in an embrace.

He was dizzy with memories and had to force himself out of that soft place. Now was not the time to drift off into dreamland. The sons of Ipswich could be anywhere and after what he'd done, they wouldn't think twice about putting him down.

* * *

Pogue grabbed Tyler's collar and hauled him back onto the sidewalk before he walked into the oncoming traffic on the corner of Arbor and Main.

He swung him around the corner towards Haskell's and smacked him upside the head unceremoniously, "The light was red and we're going this way. Take you face out of that book. You almost got ran over by a fucking truck."

Tyler rubbed the back of his head, "You didn't have to be so rough!" He snapped.

"I'll remember that next time and let you ass get run over," Pogue snapped back before snatching his ringing cellphone from his back pocket. It was Kate of course and he smiled broadly, answering the phone with a chipper hello.

Tyler forged ahead, leaving Reid and Pogue a few steps behind as little bits of anger and embarrassment twisted inside him.

He looked back and caught Reid out of the corner of his eye who was engrossed in the music pumping from the earphones of his iPod; too distracted to defend his supposed best friend.

He felt silly because he knew that he would not have almost walked into traffic had he used his powers to keep pace while reading. It would have been effortless… but then again, it was pretty stupid of him to be reading while trying to walk down the street…

* * *

_They're here…_

Chase was brought to attention as a soft gust of wind tangled with fall leaves blew the collar of his jacket up and brushed his cheek.

He stood up right and stiffened. He'd definitely heard it; a voice on the wind whispering that they were there… The Sons of Ipswich.

He narrowed his eyes and scanned the walkway looking for any sign of Caleb and his friends, but there wasn't anyone he recognized, so he looked over his shoulder toward the street and the marina. Maybe they were in a passing car…

Still… nothing.

He exhaled in frustration and snapped his head back towards the sidewalk to look down at the concrete.

He knew they were close, he could feel it. His body was slightly uncomfortable; buzzing with the anticipation that something was coming. It was overwhelming to him, putting him into a haze that made him suddenly and without thought, drift his eyes to the right to look down the thoroughfare at the sparse oncoming pedestrian traffic.

There they were; Tyler, Pogue and Reid.

They were strolling down the street without a care in the world; oblivious that they were about to run into their worst nightmare; lost in their own worlds.

Tyler was walking slightly ahead. He looked as if he was upset and had a hardcover book slung under his arm as he struggled to keep a distance between he and the other two.

Chase felt the corners of his mouth ease up into a wicked smile.

It was all coming back to him… the lush feeling of anger and hatred that wrapped around a person like a warm blanket when they were hungry for revenge; revenge that he could take right now if he wanted to.

They had no idea that he was there. They didn't sense him at all and the urge to see them flayed on the floor with their beating hearts in his hands was delicious and dark.

* * *

Tyler shifted his book under his arm and was about to open his mouth to speak when his eyes caught sight of him. He stopped in mid stride causing Pogue and Reid to bump into him, almost knocking him over onto the unforgiving concrete.

Pogue stepped back, "What the hell Ty? Why did you stop? Haskell's is just up ther--" He raised his finger to point as his eyes focused up street and he was immediately halted in mid sentence with his mouth gaping open.

Reid pulled off his earphones and leaned forward to look over Pogue's shoulder, and as he craned his neck to view the stretch of sidewalk before them, his blue eyes focused and he felt his heart leap into his throat as the overwhelming need to vomit seized him.

Chase didn't bother to move from his relaxed position. He lazily turned his head to face them; his wicked grin still fresh on his lips which began to peel back and reveal teeth.

Reid was starting to panic. His heart was beating so fast he was sure it would explode in his chest.

_How could they just stand there like that? Why weren't they doing anything? Was this even real? _

The uncertainties were spinning in his head like a hurricane. Just when he was starting to relax; when they were all starting to relax, he comes back.

_Was that his plan to begin with? Was he waiting and watching? Was he back for Pogue?_

In a frenzy of desperation Reid pushed Pogue aside and lunged forward. He stepped in front of Tyler and shoved him out of the way.

It wasn't okay that they were just standing there while the guy who tried to kill their best friend was standing in front of them with that fucking smirk on his face. Ipswich was their town; this was their world and Chase fucking Collins had no place in it.

Reid's eyes sparked black as he raised his hand up in front of him, drawing power into the tips of his fingers. He was going to end this right now; no second guesses, no excuses. This was the end.

Chase raised an eyebrow as he watched Reid plant himself into the ground with a firm stance and lift his hand, drawing beads of power into his palm and up to his fingertips. He looked around… Yeah, it was still daylight and there were still people, if only a few, on the street. What did this knuckle head think he was doing?

Before he could stop himself, a stunted laugh escaped him and he shook his head at the ridiculousness of what Reid was about to do.

He pushed himself from his leaning position and slipped his right hand from his pocket, shaking his index finger at Reid as if he'd been a naughty child. "What the fuck do you think you're doing? It's broad fucking daylight in the middle of town. Are you _trying_ to blow everyone's cover?" He asked dryly.

That seemed to snap both Pogue and Tyler out of their collective stupors and Tyler leaped forward, grabbing Reid's arm and pushing it down to his side while Pogue hauled him back by his collar.

Reid struggled violently and Pogue caught him up, wrapping his arms around him like a bear and holding him as he squirmed.

A couple across the street stopped and pointed as they whispered to each other and Pogue brought his mouth to Reid's ear and whispered harshly, "Do you see that? People are looking at us, Reid. Calm down."

Reid's eyes shifted to the couple and immediately all the years of training to keep their secret came back to him. He went limp in Pogue's arms and tears started to pierce his eyes. He couldn't stop them from coming.

Tyler stepped forward and looked Chase dead in the eye, "Are you real? Is this really happening?"

He asked this with such a deadpan calmness in his voice that Chase narrowed his eyes, and looked him over. Reid had acted like an ass as expected, but Tyler and Pogue weren't as freaked out as they should have been.

Chase shrugged, "As real as real can get. Let's just say I got a pass from The Reaper that night. It's not my time just yet."

The sound of Chase's voice stung Tyler's ears and he winced. It was real. He was really alive. It was starting all over again.

"Are you here for Pogue then? Don't play dumb and pretend you don't know he ascends the day after Christmas." Tyler said again in that deadpan tone.

Pogue, at hearing his own name, released Reid and shoved him back as he stepped forward. He held his head up defiantly, "Well, is that what you're here for; for me? It won't be as easy as last time."

Chase shook his head in mock frustration, "You know, I'm a little disappointed. Why are you guys so quick to mix it up? What, no hello, how's it going, how did you claw your way out of hell; nothing? By the way, how's Kate doing?"

Pogue lurched forward at the mention of Kate's name and Tyler held his hand up to bar him from stepping any closer.

Chase's face twisted with disgust, "Jesus! You fuckers haven't changed at all, still handicapped by the same stupid weaknesses; so quick to react without thinking. You're never going to survive what's coming like that. This is a waste of time."

Tyler scoffed, "You're a typical villain, so proud of his plan he has to spill before he even makes a move. What new wonders have you thought up for us this time, Collins?"

Chase raised an eyebrow and shook his head again, "Oh no, not me. I'm done with the four of you. I have other plans… better plans that have nothing to do with The Covenant, so, you know, you can chill a little bit, Pogue. I could care less when you ascend. Good luck with that."

"Do you really expect us to believe you?" Pogue asked through clenched teeth. "Let me guess, you strolled back into Ipswich to take in the scenery? Maybe see some historic sites? I swear to god, you will regret the day you decided to come back here. You should have let us think you were dead!"

"What's going on?" Dan asked as he came up behind Chase.

Chase let his eyes shift in Dan's direction with that condescending expression still vibrant on his face. Before he could answer his friend, Pogue's face collapsed into a frown and nodded in Dan's direction, "Who the hell is this?"

Dan's eyes immediately narrowed and he looked Pogue up and down. He didn't like this guy's attitude at all. He cocked his head to one side, "I could ask you the same thing."

"Seriously, what is this?" Pogue asked Chase again, ignoring Dan's remark.

Chase shrugged, "This is my best friend."

"Your best _friend_," Pogue asked, stretching the word out in disbelief.

"You don't have friends," Tyler chimed in with confidence, as if the concept of Chase Collins actually having a life outside of trying to destroy them was impossible.

Dan's skin began to burn with anger, "Yes, he fucking has friends!" He turned to Chase, "Who are these guys and why are they assholes? Better yet, why are you even talking to them?"

Chase smirked, "It's long and complicated. I can't get into it."

"You'd better get into it before I kick this dude's ass. I don't let anyone talk to me or YOU like that. Who the hell do they think they are?" The distress in Dan's voice was deep. It would only take a few more smart-assed remarks from Pogue to get him ready to fight.

"That's really cute of you to throw around threats when this isn't even your town. If you really are Chase's friend, I suggest you grab him by the neck and drag him back to where ever it is you came from. He's not welcome here," Tyler said coolly.

Dan snapped his head in Tyler's direction and Chase knew that that was the last straw. He stepped forward aggressively, "You know what? I'm tired of asking questions. I'll just pop you in the mouth and be done with it." He reached out to grab Tyler by the shirt and Pogue was there in an instant to defend the smaller boy.

Chase let out a frustrated sigh as he saw that things were getting out of control. He snatched Dan's jacket sleeve and pulled him back, "Cut it out," he said harshly. "I don't want to fight with them."

Dan opened his mouth to protest but Chase had already stepped toward Pogue with his hands in the air to symbolize surrender. His eyes sparked as he snapped the two fingers of his right hand and suddenly time began to slow, dimming the natural colors of life to faded sepia.

The air became thick and sloppy with the sluggish movement of seconds and Pogue's eyes were intrigued by the clarity of the dust particles drifting in the atmosphere and the detail of the little girl's ribbon as she skipped at a snail's pace down the opposite sidewalk.

"What are you doing? Are you stopping time?" he asked cautiously.

Chase shook his head slightly, "No, just slowing it down, giving us a chance to talk like adults. Where's Caleb?"

"Like we'd tell you that," Tyler said dismissively.

Chase was getting annoyed. "It's important that he's here."

"Why is it important? You still haven't told us why you came back." Reid countered.

Chase's eyes snapped to Reid and rested on him. The stupid one had been quiet all this time, mortified by what was happening. It was a joke that it'd taken him this long to get back to his senses.

He rolled his eyes, another pissed off sign escaping him, "Fine, then relay this message, will you? Tell your homeboy that I know where the power came from and why we're cursed with aging and addiction. Tell him that there are others with powers like ours and because of the way we came about our "gift" we are hated; hated so much that the others want to destroy us. Tell him that they're coming to Ipswich and if we don't come up with a plan to save our own asses by June, we're fucked. You got all that?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Pogue asked. He was completely confused.

"Just tell him!" Chase said angrily. "It sounds stupid, but it's true so tell him. I won't be held responsible when June comes around and you find out that I'm right."

He let his eyes drift to Dan who was caught in the grip of his spell. He felt a pang of guilt that he'd had to use in front of his best friend and that need for everything to go back to normal stung him again.

His eyes came back to Pogue, Reid and Tyler; still standing before him with dumbfounded looks on their faces; still tense and expecting him to make a move and hurt them.

His gaze dropped to the ground and he began to turn back to Dan, "Tell Caleb if he wants to know it all he'll have to contact me. Like I said, your blood won't be on my hands if you ignore this. He'll know where I am."

He snapped his fingers and the thick sluggishness of his spell dissipated like smoke being sucked into a vacuum. Time was moving again, its pace regular and rhythmic and the colors of every conceivable object blossoming back to their former hue.

Dan checked and looked up at Chase who was striding back to him with his hands stuffed in his pockets. He looked past him toward the three assholes and the looks of confusion on their faces seemed to mirror his own. He could have sworn that Chase was standing next to him just a minute ago. Why did he feel like he'd lost time somehow?

"Get in the car," Chase said dryly. "We're leaving."

"Wait a minute, what about them; what about your errand?" Dan asked.

Chase shrugged as he made his way around to the passenger side of Dan's car, "I did what I came to do. It's time to go before you get yourself into trouble."

Just as he opened the car door Andy and Kent tumbled out of Haskell's. Kent had a small plastic bag in his hand and Andy seemed annoyed at something Kent had done… as usual.

They headed back to Dan's car and Andy let his eyes rest on Tyler, Pogue and Reid who were still standing several feet away looking dumbstruck. He scratched his head, "What's up? Are we leaving already?"

"Yeah," Dan said with irritation and plopped down into the driver's seat, slamming the door behind him.

"I thought you had stuff to do and why are those guys standing there staring at us?" Andy inquired as he climbed into the back seat with Kent.

Chase closed the passenger door behind him and began to buckle his seatbelt, "It's long and complicated. I don't want to get into it."


	11. Card 11: Six of Swords

**Special Note:** There is no Chase and Claudia in this chapter, but rest assured they will be in the next. This chapter is more for fleshing out the plot and I'm not going to lie, it was a struggle. It was rewritten many times which is why it has taken so long to post and it was originally longer with another scene, but that was scrapped. I was trying to fit too much in to make up for lost time and I was tripping myself up. If I want to do this story right, it's going to take time and the span between post is going to be longer and I just need to deal with that and let it roll. Hopefully you guys are still interested in reading this as I am still interested in writing it and no matter what anyone says; a story has no point if there's not one there to read it.

**This Is Absolution**

**Card 11: Six of Swords**

Tyler, Reid and Pogue found Caleb with his mother sitting quietly in the study.

The two were hunched over papers that were scattered across the polished surface of their coffee table and Caleb looked extremely bored, shooting his head up excitedly when he saw Pogue appear in the doorway with an earnest expression shadowing his handsome features.

Evelyn looked up as well and pushed her thick-rimmed reading glasses up the bridge of her nose before waving Pogue over, "I know you're here to ruin my plans and drag my son off to god knows where, but before you do, give me your opinion. Should we stick with traditional turkey and ham for the Christmas banquet or should we be daring and exchange the ham for lamb roast?" she lifted a perfectly arched eyebrow as she asked this and Pogue felt a huge wave of pressure hit him and threaten to knock him over.

He shook his head and smiled, "I'm really not the one to ask that kind of stuff, Mrs. Danvers. I eat whatever's in front of me."

Evelyn chuckled at the boy's honesty, but continued to press for an answer, "Don't be as useless as Caleb's been. Just pick one and whatever you pick, I'll go with."

Pogue exhaled heavily. He really didn't have a clue if she should go with ham or lamb. What difference did it make anyway? Meat was meat, right?

"Go with the lamb!" He blurted out, surprising himself.

Evelyn raised both eyebrows in surprise and then nodded as she smiled, "Lamb it is then. Thank you, Pogue. I appreciate your decisiveness." She let the words linger and her eyes shifted to Caleb accusingly.

He rolled his eyes and got up from the sofa, "I'll be back later, mother," he said as he made his way across the room.

"Back in time for supper?" she asked, her question heavy with the recollection that he'd barely had two sit down meals with her in the last few months.

"Probably… yes," he answered. She'd been irritating him all afternoon.

"Alright, have fun. Don't get into any trouble. Oh, and bring Sarah with you if you'd like. She hasn't been over in a while," She said happily which Caleb knew was only half genuine.

He didn't bother to answer, but brushed past Pogue toward the foyer where Reid and Tyler were waiting.

* * *

The late afternoon sun peeked through the heavily leaded windows of the foyer as Tyler and Reid raised their heads to acknowledge Caleb's presence.

He immediately felt the tension emanating from both of them and looked over his shoulder as Pogue made his way around him to lean against an end-table heavy with a vase that spilled over with roses.

"What's going on? Why does everyone look so… worried?" he asked cautiously, slightly afraid of the answer that might be waiting for him.

Pogue's face darkened but he didn't answer Caleb. The question seemed much too simple. It seemed inappropriate for the vastness of the situation.

Caleb let his eyes shift between the three of them; all looking somber as hell, as if someone had died.

"Seriously," Caleb demanded. "If something's happened just tell me. Is it Sarah? Did something happen to her?"

Pogue shook his head, "It's not Sarah. She's fine… but for how long… I don't know."

Caleb's face twisted, "What does that mean?"

Pogue began to speak, "Look, Caleb--…"

"Chase is back. He's not dead. We ran into him in town on our way to Haskell's. He was waiting for us," Reid said dryly. He was sick of Pogue's attempt to break it to him softly.

Caleb slowly turned his head in Reid's direction and to his surprise; there was a smile on the older boy's face. "I'm sorry. I don't think I understood you."

Reid narrowed his eyes and studied their supposed leader with dark interest before pushing his annoyance aside to restate his sentence more clearly, "Chase Collins IS NOT DEAD. He's alive and looking quite well."

"He can't be alive… at the barn … I…" as the words escaped from Caleb's lips all the uncertainty from that rainy September morning came rushing back to him. How long had he and Sarah waited while the firemen fished through the cindered wreckage of the already dilapidated Putnam barn to find nothing but remnants of charred farm tools?

"Apparently not," Tyler said dully, displeased by the new turn of events.

Caleb whipped his head around giving Tyler a look that was so cold, it sent a chill through the room and prompted Pogue to step forward in the youngest boy's defense.

"He's just stating the obvious," he said, letting his eyes dart from one Covenant brother to the other. "He's back so we need to do something. You're the leader… so lead."

Caleb recoiled at the sound of the word although he'd heard it all his life. The silence stretched for what seemed like an eternity and although Caleb wanted to speak, he couldn't.

"You know what, Caleb? You better think of something quick because we listened to you last time when you told us to let you take care of it and now Chase is very alive and chilling in front of Haskell's with his crew from Haversfield. I don't appreciate that shit," Tyler breathed the words out with a seriousness that was weighted like lead.

"Ty…" Reid said with gleeful astonishment.

"What?" Tyler answered, snapping his head in Reid's direction. "I'm just saying what everyone is thinking. This is Caleb's responsibility. He needs to finish what he started."

Caleb was stung and silent as he let his eyes glide over Tyler with tinges of anger and discontentment. Then he turned to Pogue, "He was waiting for you, but he didn't make a move. You all seem to be fine. What do you think he's up to?" he asked softly.

Pogue turned to Caleb slowly, trying his best not to show his disappointment at the stunted silence and fear that had seemed to overtake is best friend, "Believe it or not, he said he wasn't here for us. He said he was done with The Covenant and didn't give a shit if any of us ascended. His exact words were, 'good luck with that.'"

The corner of Caleb's mouth eased up into a forced smirk, "And you believed him?"

Pogue shrugged, "Well, there's more."

"More?" Caleb asked, raising his eyebrows in interest.

Pogue nodded, "He said he came here to warn us. He said that there were others out there that had the power and that the way the Five Families came about having it was shady so these "others" are out to get us. He said he knew where the power came from and that if we didn't work something out by June, we'd be dead."

Caleb shook his head dismissively, "No, there are no "others." We're the only ones with the power and of all the people in the world, why would he be the one to find out about all this? He's lying and trying to trap us. He isn't even doing a good job of it." He continued to shake his head in disbelief.

"How do you know he's _lying_?" Reid asked, stretching the word out for emphasis.

"Because if it were true it'd be in the book and it's not," he answered bluntly.

"Right, the _book_," Reid nodded mockingly. "For the record, that book is a piece of unreliable shit. It's half-assed and there are parts actually missing; like pages that were torn out. Who the hell knows what the other generations were keeping from us. The book doesn't even have the origin of where the power came from yet you're so sure that Collins is talking out if his ass when you have no proof otherwise."

"Maybe the book did have the origins of the power. Like you said, there are a lot of pages… even entire passages that are torn out," Tyler said thoughtfully.

Caleb frowned, waving his hand in front of him as if to shoo away even the implication of such a thing. "You can't be serious about this. Maybe I made a mistake. Maybe Chase did make a move and brainwashed the lot of you."

"Where do you think he's been all this time?" Pogue asked quietly, more to himself than to the group. He let his eyes ease over the three of them and then fall to the floor, "He also said that we NEEDED to relay this information to you, Caleb, and if you wanted to know more, you'd know where to find him."

"He wants to see _me_?" Caleb asked softly, turning the idea of being face to face with Chase over in his head.

Reid crossed his arms and leaned against the windowsill behind him, "You've already beat him once; you could beat him again."

Caleb was silent, not bothering to look up and acknowledge Reid's remark.

"Are you saying you _can't_ beat him again?" Tyler asked grimly.

Caleb continued the silent treatment; lost in his own thoughts as to what he would do if he had to meet Chase again. Would he able to win this time? He'd barely gotten away with his life last time and if it hadn't been for his father…

"He's scared," Reid remarked frigidly. "He's totally scared."

At that Caleb lifted his eyes from the polished floor as he was ripped from his thoughts, "I'm what? What did you just say?"

Reid pushed himself off the windowsill. "I said you're SCARED. It's okay to be intimidated by Collins. I mean, you did try to kill him once and failed at it miserably. I think you know you're not strong enough to take him. I think you knew back then that you weren't and without your father's help, you would have lost. Isn't that right, Caleb? It sucks to be weak, but hell… you are only human."

Caleb darted across the floor and before Pogue could intervene, he'd hauled back and punched Reid on the left side of his face, sending him spinning to the floor.

"CALEB!" Pogue yelled. He pushed his best friend back, standing between Caleb as his chest heaved with aggression and Reid who was licking the copper droplets of blood from his lips and grinning wildly.

"Looks like you still have a bit of fight left in you," He said as he pushed himself off the floor, straightening his t-shirt and hoodie as he snapped his neck to one side and readjusted his jaw.

"What the fuck was that?" Pogue whispered distastefully. "Why do you have to push him?"

Reid looked over his shoulder at Tyler who was standing at his place in the grey sunlight with his hands stuffed in his pockets and a look of cynicism shadowing his brilliant blue eyes.

He shrugged and turned back to Pogue. "Funny, but baby boy asked me that a few weeks ago. I don't understand it completely myself…," he paused as if genuinely searching for an explanation and then shook his head in defeat, directing his gaze at Caleb. "The point is he needs to get his shit together. This isn't about Sarah, this is about us and it's about Chase. I say we finish him, meaning all of us and be done with it."

"Or we could hear him out," Tyler chimed in quietly.

"What the hell is going on out here?!" Evelyn demanded as she rushed out of the study.

The boys froze in their places with downcast eyes as Evelyn entered the foyer, except for Reid who continued to smile and take another swipe at his bloodied lip with the sleeve of his sweatshirt.

Evelyn let her eyes scan the group and then they darted form Caleb to Reid. Immediately she knew that the two had gotten into a scuffle over something. What that something was, she didn't know, but she was sure it had to do with The Covenant.

"I don't know what's going on out here, but I will not have violence in my house!" her eyes swung in Caleb's direction, "And you, young man. You don't have the right to put your hands on anyone. I raised you better than that."

"Mother, he--" Caleb protested.

"I don't want to hear it, Caleb. I don't care what he did!" She scolded, pointing a slender finger at him with frightening authority.

Caleb's eyes shifted back to the floor as he stuffed his hands in his pockets shamefully.

She let her eyes ease over all of them again and then focused on Reid, "Rest assured that your mother will get a call from me this evening, Mr. Garwin," she said sternly as she headed toward the study, but before she stepped across the threshold she turned around, addressing all of them. "I don't want Covenant business discussed in my house. Take it to the colonial where it belongs. I won't have that filthiness here."

At that, she disappeared across the threshold, closing the doors behind her.

All four boys were silent, each contemplating how things had managed to spiral out of control. Just when things were getting back to normal, they were forcibly thrown back in time by months to relive the horror of Chase Collins all over again. What had they done to deserve that?

* * *

Gorman Twoberry stood at the top of the spiraling staircase in Danvers House as he watched the four boys standing silently, lost in their collective thoughts.

He was embraced by shadow, tapping his elderly, liver-spotted fingers against the glowing wood finish of the banister and going over the new turn of events in his head with dark curiosity.

He had to admit that he was a bit surprised that Chase Collins had survived that night at the barn. He'd thought for sure that Caleb was capable of taking care of a nuisance like that with one hand tied behind his back, but apparently he was wrong. It was very possible that his senses had been dulled by his post at James Danvers side and it was all too true that he wasn't the young man he used to be.

But still, Caleb reminded him more and more of James everyday; growing unsure of his decisions and doubting if he should be a leader at all. The fact that Chase had survived their encounter at the barn certainly didn't help. It was Caleb's first real challenge and he had failed.

He supposed that part of it was the burden of being the leader; of carrying all the weight, but that insecurity and eventual arrogance to compensate had been James' demise and he hoped like hell it wouldn't be the same for Caleb who was worse off than his father, as he carried an extra source of Deus that was already out of control.

Alas, he knew that it wasn't his place to worry. It never had been, he was just there to observe and report back, but after his long years of service he couldn't help endearing himself to a family who were so completely lost.

He shook his head and sank farther into the shadows.

Caleb and the others would eventually figure out that Chase was telling the truth. They would have to deal with the fact that everything they were taught to believe was a lie; an elaborate cover-up to hide a shameful past and a disregard for human life. They'd have to come to terms with the reality that they were descended from liars and thieves, cheaply disguised as knowledge seeking aristocrats. They would have to recognize that their families were just as bad; if not worse than the Putnams and that the events leading up to the hanging of John Putnam weren't all that they seemed.

This would affect Caleb the most and in an effort to salvage a piece of his once charmed life, he would look to the only person he knew would never change.

Gorman Twoberry.

A faithful companion to his father, a helpful hand in the house and a man who knew his way around a good horse; Gorman was always a steadfast presence in that fragile boy's life.

He contemplated his options as he knew that the situation was about to come to a head.

He was hoping that he wouldn't have to get involved at all; that The Deus would follow its course and what would be would be. However, he had a sneaking suspicion that it wouldn't turn out that way.

Chase Collins had gotten his information from somewhere and Gorman couldn't help but wonder if someone had helped him along the way.

Where had he gone after he'd disappeared from Putnam barn? Did he have help all along? And, if this mystery person knew about The Community and the invocation, did they know about the seekers as well? Did The Community have a rat?

He struggled to suppress his years of training and wondered as to why he cared in the first place.

He was already on suspension from his position as a seeker and he knew that those bratty triplets were trying to oust him although he wasn't sure why, but his training was strong and he couldn't just turn it off… no matter how hard he tried.


	12. Card 12: King of Swords

**Special Note:** Once again Claudia and Chase are not in this chapter, but I had to move the plot along and start incorporating characters that are going to have a profound effect on the outcome of the invocation in June. However, Chase and Claudia WILL be in the next chapter, I promise. And hopefully it won't take me as long to get it online. Thank you to everyone is who is still reading the story. Your patients in commendable.

**This Is Absolution**

**Card 12: King of Swords**

Kate was the impatient type, so when Sarah burst into their dorm room tearful, distraught, and flinging herself onto the bed to bury her head into her pillow without the slightest indication as to why; it pissed her roommate off.

Kate was irritated anyway as she'd just received a note from Provost Higgins letting her know that Chase Collins had swooped into town without warning, done "business" with three of The Covenant and swooped out again almost unnoticed.

She hadn't sensed him at all which she thought damn near impossible as his spiritual energy was akin to a freight train, and poor Higgins had only found out that he was in town by sheer coincidence while he exited a Starbucks' with a steaming cup of coffee in his hand. As soon as he'd laid eyes on the attractive Putnam boy, his Venti mocha went flying and he'd stained an expensive pair of designer dress slacks.

With that new information hot in her hands it was easy to understand why she was in no mood for one of Sarah's theatrical moments and was pretty sure she knew why she was upset anyway.

Caleb Danvers.

Sarah hefted herself up from her pillow and swung her nightstand drawer open. She pulled out a prescription bottle, spun the top open and rattled two tiny white pills directly into her mouth. She didn't even need water, she just swallowed, and before the pills had a chance to make it to her stomach she was settling down and letting stilted sobs escape from her distressed body.

"Those are sleeping pills?" Kate asked cautiously. "It's not even late afternoon."

Sarah shook her head and swiped the sleeve of her sweater across her red nose, "It's Xanax. Dr. Urban prescribed them for me. It helps with anxiety."

Kate raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. "I'm sure it does," she said flatly and noted that the pills hadn't dissolved into her bloodstream before their benefits seemed to manifest.

Sarah flopped back down on her pillow and let another sob shake her body. Then her eyes drifted to Kate with that look that said: "Aren't you going to ask me about what happened?"

Kate thought the answer to that question was a resounding "NO" and crumpled the little note from Higgins in her hand, dissolving it into oblivion discreetly.

She uncrossed her legs and hopped up from the seat at her desk and smiled brightly, "I'd love to stay and talk, but I gotta be somewhere. We'll discuss the fight with Caleb when I get back."

Sarah's eyebrows furrowed into puppy-dog confusion, "How did you know I had a fight with Caleb?"

_Because you're so fucking predictable! You're as transparent as cellophane!!_

"Because I'm a girl and girls know when other girls have just had fights with their boyfriends. It's intuition," she said aloud.

Sarah nodded as if that made perfect sense.

Kate grabbed her coat and purse and headed to the door, "Why don't you take a nap and when I get back we'll go and get something to eat and talk it all out."

Sarah nodded letting her blonde waves fall into her face before her head fell back onto the pillow, "Taking a nap sounds like a good idea," she said drowsily.

Kate swung the door open and rolled her eyes as she stepped into the hall. "Okay, sleep well. I'll be back in a couple of hours--" she started, but Sarah's eyes were already flickering shut as she faded off. Kate thought that the Xanax had just kicked in and made it a point to click the door closed softly behind her.

She stood in the deserted hallway and let out a deep sigh, pushing her hair behind her ear as she reached into her purse to find her keys.

She obviously wasn't a fan of her flighty roommate, but it distressed her to think that Sarah had become so dependent on pills, first to help her sleep and now to deal with anxiety. Pretty soon she'd be chilling with the coke sluts that hung in the rose garden after classes and then who knew where she'd end up; on the streets; selling her body…

She threw her head back and let her hair fall out of her face. The Covenant had no idea how far their influence reached. Everything they did had some dire affect on someone somewhere even if it was something as non-magical as prescription drug addiction. The burden of their secret and Sarah's involvement with Caleb were pushing her over the edge and it was selfish of him to keep holding onto her and not noticing that she wasn't handling things well. But then again, Caleb had tunnel vision and a narcissistic streak. Once he set his sights on something he held onto it no matter what and that was something he and Chase had in common. Maybe getting rid of The Covenant wasn't such a bad idea after all. They were thieves and everything they touched turned to shit.

Kate released another weighted sigh.

She didn't particularly like Sarah, but she didn't think that her sometimes ditzy, blonde roommate deserved everything that was happening to her. She was ill equipped to handle their secret and that was a shame.

* * *

Charlie watched Sienna as she flicked her fork through the slush they called homemade grits at The Ipswich Corner Diner. That was the third time she ordered the grits and eggs breakfast since they'd started frequenting the place (it was across the street from their motel) and no matter how many times she'd tried to explain the proper way to make a batch of grits to the waitress and the cook, they just couldn't get it right.

She sighed and dropped the fork onto the plate with a gesture of disgust and then turned her attention back to her case file.

Charlie smirked and took a bite of his deliciously fluffy pancakes in maple syrup. He let out a slight moan of delight and focused his eyes on Sienna whose mouth had turned down into a frown.

"Don't rub that shit in," she hissed.

He shrugged, "They say the definition of insanity is doing something repetitively and expecting a different result every time. Maybe you've finally lost it."

"I haven't lost it. I'm just stuck in the whitest town on the planet and can't get a decent plate of grits to save my fucking life," she said snidely. She furrowed her brows, "No offense."

Charlie laughed, "Relax princess. I have a thicker skin than that and remember, my ancestors weren't the ones trading land for pretty beads," he smirked. "Now we're even."

"Nice," she said and turned her attention back to the case file.

It was early evening and the dinner rush at the diner, but Charlie and Sienna had a unique bond in that they both enjoyed breakfast at night and dinner in the mornings. He thought that was probably one of the reasons they'd clicked so well when they'd first been partnered up and he'd managed to last more than a few weeks under her tutelage.

The old school Sienna had been a hard ass; a vicious taskmaster and had gone through a slew of partners before he'd been assigned to her, fresh out of training and eager to please. He could tell from the moment he'd set eyes on her that she was the stand alone type who thought they didn't need a partner and surprisingly enough he was okay with that. He figured he'd do his due diligence, move up in the ranks and only think about the torture that was Sienna Silverlake late at night with a glass of whisky in his hand and a hankering to reminisce. However, things change and they sort of got stuck. Not by orders or circumstances, but by the fact that they worked so well together. He just got her, which no one had ever done before and that had surprised her as she prided herself on being unfathomable.

Charlie nodded toward the case file, "How many times are you going to go over those autopsy reports?"

Sienna exhaled heavily, "Until they start to make sense to me," she said rubbing her temple to ward off a headache. "I just don't understand. These girls, they're torn up like an animal has been at them, but then it says that their internal organs were removed; not ripped or clawed out, but removed with great care."

"And they didn't find the organs," Charlie said as a matter of fact.

Sienna shook her head, "No," she whispered. "Whatever did this took the organs with it… maybe it ate them…"

"_It_?" Charlie said as he shook his head in disagreement. "No way, It's _who_," he corrected her.

Sienna rolled her eyes, "We're not there yet."

"Ah yeah, I think we are," he said irritably. "You and I both know that the more we work this case the more it becomes apparent that we are not dealing with some hell-beast, but a sadistic fucking PERSON, someone who gets off on mutilating young girls. He's your run of the mill serial killer and not our problem. I say we go back to L.A., file our report and leave it to the local authorities."

"Okay," Sienna said sarcastically. "It's a person; just your typical serial killer who gets off on mutilating young girls. Why does he claw them up? Why does he remove the organs?" She was challenging his theory.

He shrugged, "He claws them up because he LIKES TO MUTILATE THEM. As far as the organs, maybe you're right, maybe he does eat them. They could also be trophies. I bet if we knocked on enough doors and searched enough cellars we'd find a freak with a nice little collection of jarred hearts preserved in pickling juice."

"He doesn't just take the heart; he takes ALL of the major organs. Why? What typical serial killer does that?" She asked, still challenging him.

Charlie was getting frustrated and he shrugged again, bringing his shoulders up to his ears dramatically, "Maybe he's a very meticulous trophy collector."

"Try again smartass," Sienna said sourly. "I'm willing to entertain your theory although I'm on the fence about it. The least you could do is really try and work this out."

"On the fence? Come on, Sienna," Charlie pleaded. "I know you love the hunt and taking down creatures that can bite off your face, but let's get real here. This is a person and they're collecting; even harvesting the organs. Maybe our guy claws them up to make it look like an animal and throw the cops off. I'd also like to point out that he hasn't made a kill since we showed up in this fucking town which makes me think he's finished his cycle and has done whatever he wanted to do. Chances are Ipswich won't hear from him again and if they do, it will be years, decades even. This isn't our business. Let's get out of here."

Although she didn't want to admit it, it was becoming more and more apparent that Charlie was right and this wasn't some amateur dabbling in magic who'd accidentally conjured some beast from beyond. However, this was still their case, she had a gut feeling about that and she wasn't ready to turn tail and run back to L.A. to let the local authorities figure it out. Unless they had someone on staff that was versed in the black arts and ritual sacrifices, then this was beyond them.

But still… what was the catch? Why was this guy removing the organs? What was he trying to do?

_This is a person and they're collecting; even harvesting the organs. I'd also like to point out that he hasn't made a kill since we showed up in this fucking town which makes me think he's finished his cycle and has done whatever he wanted to do._

Sienna's eyes narrowed, "He is harvesting. He's keeping the organs. And we will hear from him again, but not for a while. The first three kills were just practice."

"Oh, so now all of the sudden you're on board. What brought this on?" Charlie said as he sat back in the booth.

'The harvesting. He's collecting for a human transmutation," she answered causally.

Charlie sat up in the booth as if he'd been pinched in the back, "Wait a minute. Slow down Edward Elric! Alchemy? You're crazy!"

Sienna shrugged, "There was a case just like this back in England in the 1600s. A nobleman and self professed scientist, Lord Joseph Fowler, was doing the same thing, only instead of using the basic elements of a body; he used actual body parts and put them into a transmutation circle. It worked except that he'd forgotten the most important part… a soul to bring back. The body died after only a few days, but it was perfectly formed so he tried again. This time bringing back the soul of a woman he'd killed for the transmutation. It worked again, but he hadn't thought about what the woman would do once she'd come back from the gate. Turns out she was pissed and hacked off the fucker's head with an axe. Also, you don't really know what you bring back after a soul has entered the gate. They always come back… changed."

"And that is what you think this is; some alchemy experiment? I don't know. It seems a little farfetched to me; like you've been watching too much Adult Swim."

She rolled her eyes, "Alchemy is real although it hasn't been practiced in the mainstream for a while. You know that as well as I do, but that is the only way YOUR theory works and it makes a lot of sense, but it's bad news… it worries me."

"Why is it worrying you?" he asked cautiously.

"Joseph Fowler did the human transmutation several times, but was only successful twice and he used multiples of each organ; three to be exact. There are about 23 major organs in a human body which means he would have killed three women per transmutation without getting caught. However, once Fowler figured out he could do a successful transmutation he got picking and started taking women with a specific eye or hair color. They don't know how many he killed, but the archives estimate about 69 women were murdered after he was done."

Charlie's eyes widened at the number, but then he snapped his head back, "There is no way he could have killed that many women and not been found out."

"He was a lord in the English countryside with cottage towns full of poor people surrounding his estate. Not to mention gypsy caravans, travelers form London and servants numbering in the hundreds." Sienna exhaled and shook her head wearily, "Trust me, I hope I'm wrong and this is just some guy getting his jollies because if not, it's going to be a bloodbath."

Charlie sank into his chair as if a boulder had been placed on his shoulders. He looked at Sienna, his face heavy and dark, "We're going to be here for a while aren't we," He asked sadly.

"Unless we prove this wrong, yes," she answered.

He looked out of the diner window, past a family of four in the opposite booth and on to the disgustingly quaint Ipswich main street, "Great," he whispered tersely. "Totally fucking great."

* * *

Kate always had a habit of checking her makeup in the side view mirror of her car when she was going to meet a man. And although Gorman Twoberry was older than dirt, she still respected him as someone who'd been in the "game" a long time and deserved an extra application of lip gloss… despite the fact that he couldn't appreciate it anymore.

She stepped out of her candy apple red Infiniti G35 and tidied up her pleated, plaid mini skirt which was a becoming shade of tan and sage green. She'd paired it with her ribbed turtle neck that was the same becoming tan and the sage riding jacket she'd picked up back in Toronto while she was healing from Chase's spell.

She took one last look at herself in the side view mirror, smiled approvingly and then clicked up the cobblestone driveway to Caleb Danvers front door in her brown Hermes riding boots and handbag to match. She was impeccable as always.

She banged on the door three times with the massive gothic knocker and waited. The lumbering door swung open and a nameless, (and as far as Kate was concerned) faceless housemaid answered the door. Kate stood on her tip-toes and peeked over the tiny woman's head into the darkness of Danvers manor house before she addressed the maid.

She smiled brilliantly, "Is Twoberry around? I'd like to speak with him."

The maid's face furrowed in confusion, "You're not here to see Mr. Perry or Mr. Danvers?"

Kate frowned. She hadn't realized the woman was deaf. "No, I'm here to see Gorman Twoberry, the former groundskeeper. He is living here now, right? It's a good thing too because that old colonial was creepy. If he's not here, let me know and I'll stop by some other time."

"N-no," The maid stuttered. "Mr. Twoberry is here. He's in the garden. I'll announce you," she said as she began to turn.

"That's alright!" Kate said hastily. "No need to announce little old me. I know my way around. I can show myself and chances are he's expecting me."

The maid's face furrowed into a confused frown once again.

Kate ignored the woman's ignorance and stepped past her, across the threshold and into the oppressive darkness that was the Danvers house.

"You all could stand to open a few windows around here," she commented and then walked out of the foyer toward the kitchen and the garden, leaving the maid puzzled and holding the handle of the door as if she hadn't the slightest idea what to do with it.

* * *

Gorman bent over the rosebushes that were heavy with blood red buds. He gently glided one hand over a silky flower head and it bobbed and bowed under the caress.

They were remarkable roses that would flower all year round and never die.

It was a cheap parlor trick of a spell, nothing very advanced, but James wanted something spectacular to impress Evelyn with and it had certainly done the trick. For their entire junior year at Spenser James had arrived at her door with a dozen enchanted roses ready to walk her to classes. She hadn't found out that they were "special" until after the wedding and it was just one of many deceits that James had inflicted on her over their long courtship. She left them in the garden, but never brought them into the house. She hated them and James never blamed her.

The only downside to the Crimson Roses was that they could be aggressive and invasive. If left untended they grew a mind of their own and spread throughout a garden like blood thirsty weeds, taking down any plant or vegetable in their way. He'd even heard stories of people getting caught up in the thorny vines only to found much too late, wrapped up like a spider's cocoon, the vines stained with blood.

He was the only one who tended the roses. He was the only one who knew how to take care of them which was unfortunate because he was getting older by the second. He thought that maybe he could teach Caleb to care for them, but something made him think the boy would not be interested.

He stood up from his bent position and turned toward the door. Kate Tunney was about to enter the garden and he wanted to have a good look at her. He could already sense her Deus which was tinged with morose boredom. She was not happy being a spy and playing Pogue's girlfriend. Her heart was not in it.

Kate swung open the French doors at once and bounded down the stone steps to the gravel walkway that led down the center of the traditional French garden. Gorman took a seat on a carved stone bench and looked up at her as she approached him.

She raised one eyebrow with interest, "I knew you were expecting me."

He shrugged, "I can sense your Deus a mile way. You're like a Mack truck."

"I'll take that as a complement," she smirked and then took a seat next to him. She tilted her head toward the sky and let out a mournful breath. "So gloomy and cold. It'll snow soon, don't you think?"

Gorman looked up and nodded, "Probably, but that isn't why you're here."

She turned her head to him and smiled, "You know that Chase is alive and that he's been here. I'm guessing the first thing those three did was come and tell Caleb the bad news."

He nodded, but didn't say anything.

She looked up at the sky again, "Higgins wants to know where your head is at. You know, where your loyalties lie."

"I don't really think my loyalties are important at this point as I'm no longer on the payroll, but Higgins has always been the cautious type," Gorman replied matter-of-factly.

"I know they're still paying you," Kate smiled. "You're like on The Community's version of social security now. Must be nice."

"Not so nice when this job and this family are all you've ever known," Gorman whispered as his eyes shifted to the gravel covered ground.

Kate took in the deep lines that were carved into his leathery skin, heavy with age and wisdom. She felt sorry for him.

"Well," she breathed, "We still need to know where you stand. You know that Higgins and I won't sell you out, but you need to give us a fighting chance if you plan on spilling the beans to The Four Sons and confirming Chase's story. Higgins heard it all despite the time spell Chase cast… the kid knows everything. We need to be able to cover our asses and make sure that everyone knows that WE weren't the ones who helped him."

"You think someone helped him? Someone on the inside?" he asked as if he hadn't already suspected the same thing.

Kate smirked again, "Don't act dumb old-timer. You're still quick on your toes and you know he couldn't have come up with this shit on his own. We've gotten too good at keeping The Covenant out of the loop."

Gorman nodded, "True, true."

"So what's it gonna be. Should we be worried about you?"

He shook his head, "You don't have to worry about me. To be honest, I haven't decided what I'm going to do, but rest assured the names Higgins and Tunney will never drop from lips."

Kate nodded, satisfied, "That's good to hear."

She stood up from the stone bench and dusted off her skirt with a cursory swipe. Then she thought for a moment and looked down at Gorman whose eyes were still scanning the gravely ground, "Tell me something. Why haven't you decided what you're going to do yet? That isn't like you at all."

Gorman turned his head to look up at her and smiled, "I'm waiting on what Caleb will do."

Kate let out a condescending snort, "You put way to much faith in that boy. He doesn't have the stomach for the leader role. He never has."


	13. Card 13: Eight of Pentacles

**Special Note:** Alright, Chase and Claudia are finally in the same state. I don't know how long I'm going to draw out her visit, but I plan to get things rolling with Chase and The Covenant having to confront each other and figure out what they want to do while she's in town, meaning Claudia gets to meet Caleb, Pogue, Tyler and Reid. I've also been thinking a lot about where I want the story to go and I've some pretty good ideas as to how to bring things up a notch as far as action is concerned as well as rounding out the plot. I hope you all enjoy the new chapter.

**This Is Absolution**

**Card 13: Eight of Pentacles**

Karen Asbury's gut was on fire.

She leaned her head against the car window and closed her eyes only to snap them back open immediately as the feeling of falling was unbearable.

The scene flashed before her again and she felt physically sick. If her grandmother hadn't flown in from London for Christmas… if she and her parents hadn't gone into Boston to pick her up at the airport… she would never have seen it… she'd never have seen Chase Collins and that… that girl.

Noxious bile rose up and burned her throat. She swiftly slapped her hand over her mouth in anticipation of vomiting and all at once tears welled in her eyes, forcing her to turn further toward the window and away from her grandmother who was in the backseat alongside her; chatting incessantly with her parents in that proper British drawl and not paying any attention to her granddaughter's torment at all.

The cars and trees speed by in a blur of watercolor against a December sky and again the scene manifested its self…

She remembered catching the sight of him pacing before the airport terminal and immediately a bright smile eased over her face. She'd opened her mouth to call to him and then she was there… the tall, black girl with the long dark hair; dressed in grey jeans and a black hoodie with aviator sunglasses hiding her eyes.

He'd reached toward the girl without the slightest hesitation, scooping her into his arms before she'd had a second to react. Lifting her off the floor and embracing her so profoundly that it was impossible not to know what they were to each other…

Karen remembered how long he'd held the girl before letting her feet touch the floor. She remembered the way he'd kept his arm around her waist as if he was afraid to let her go. She agonized over the blush that had drenched the girl's cheeks once he'd finally put her down and the way her eyes had looked up at him after he'd gently slid her sunglasses up on top of her head; pushing her shiny black hair out of her face.

But the most devastating part was witnessing the kiss. It was full and long and heavy with starved desire that was desperate to be requited.

Salty tears rolled down the apples of Karen's cheeks and her chest was so weighted she could hardly breathe.

How could she have been so stupid? It hadn't even occurred to her that he might already have a girlfriend and was too in love to notice that she was vying for his attention. He'd never had any intentions toward her. He was just being polite at the Thanksgiving party…

She felt so silly. She felt like she wanted to die.

Bile rose up and burned her throat again.

* * *

It had become fairly obvious that there was a serial killer stalking the streets of Ipswich.

News had spread and now the curbs of Main Street were lined with vans from television stations out of Glouster and even Boston with perfectly coiffed news anchors reading cue cards into video cameras. The newspaper reporters where edging their way through the crowd with a cursory "excuse me" or "pardon me" in an attempt to get closer to the action and that was when Reid had decided he'd seen enough.

He'd been standing at the back of the crowd that hovered around the alley behind Haskell's drugstore for the better part of the morning and had become extremely disgusted with how things had spiraled out of control.

The girl had worked the nightshift, paying her own way through school. She was 20… Now she was sprawled out under a sheet against the damp, frost covered pavement, dead and apparently missing her eyes.

Was this girl number 3 or 4? Reid had lost track and he made a mental note to get the rest of the coroner's reports so that he could compare notes as to the way they'd been killed and the body parts they were missing. The first report he'd gotten his hands on had said that the internal organs were missing, but he wondered if maybe the killer was starting to narrow his selection down to one or two things. As far as he could tell, this monster was being very picky, like he needed the parts for something specific.

Reid stuffed his hands into his pockets against the cold. Light snow was falling from the cloud crowded sky and just as he was about to turn back toward the direction of Spenser, he caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye; that Indian woman from the southwest with the crimson red lipstick painted perfectly on her full lips.

He swiveled around on his heel and moved toward the edge of the crowd, leaning against a brick wall and standing up on his tip-toes to get a better look.

This time she was with a tall, good looking guy with dark hair and broad, athletic shoulders. They were both in black suits and trench coats and once again the Indian woman had a little notepad in her hands, scribbling on the ruled paper at breakneck speed as they conferred with a detective. As the detective motioned them toward the body and kneeled down on his haunches to lift up the sheet that covered the victim, the Indian woman snapped her head around in Reid's direction and scanned the crowd as if she was sensing something; as if she knew someone was watching her.

He immediately darted to the back of the crowd, his hands still stuffed in his pockets and a curious smile on his lips.

This was the second time he'd seen this woman; first on the campus at Spenser, scribbling in her little notepad, and then again, behind the yellow tape, talking to the police and viewing the body as if she had every right to be there.

Was that what she was doing at Spenser? Was she checking out the first crime scene? And if she was, who the hell was she and who did she work for? Maybe she and that guy were State Police or Federal Agents?

If that was the case then things were _way_ worse than he'd previously thought.

* * *

Chase's neighborhood (if you could call it that, as the houses were very far apart) was a labyrinth of winding streets without names or sidewalks. The message was clear that if you needed street signs to find your way around or a pathway to walk on, you didn't have any business there.

As repulsive as Claudia thought this message was, she had to admit that the houses… or mansions, which is what they really were, were quite beautiful despite only catching a glimpse of them through tall, obtrusive entry gates as they sped by.

"We're almost there," Chase smiled as he gestured ahead. "It's the one on the left with the family crest."

"Is that a real family crest?" Claudia asked teasingly.

Chase gave her a wry smile, "Yes, it's the real coat of arms for the Collins family. There's a castle back in England and all sorts of historical records if you need more proof."

She shook her head as she smirked uncontrollably. "That isn't necessary, I was just asking. The Harringtons have a family crest as well. You know, that's my dad's family. They're Irish. I don't know about any castles though."

Chase's face immediately brightened, "Do you want a castle? I could get you one. They can't be that expensive."

Claudia scoffed, "Are you serious? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. No, I don't want a fucking castle—"

"We're here," he said, interrupting her.

Claudia's eyes darted up and immediately focused on the gilded crest that adorned the ornate black gates of the Collins estate. It was huge with gold and silver filigree sprouting out from a shield with a knight's helmet atop it and a roaring griffin rearing up on its hind quarters majestically. It was beautiful.

"You look impressed," Chase smiled. "I'm glad. I hope you feel the same way about the rest of the house. I've been making some design changes and updating some stuff. I had you in mind."

Claudia took a deep breath and let her eyes shift to the floor. "Well, you didn't have to do all of that. But the crest is pretty cool."

Chase chuckled as he opened the electric gates and Claudia could see that there was a huge expanse of lawn dotted with trees on either side of the gravel driveway. She guessed that there were probably acres of land behind as well as around the main house that made up the estate. The actual house was in the Tudor style with long, sweeping eves accentuating a series of steeply pitched roofs.

"It's so big," Claudia commented in awe. "How do you live here all by yourself?"

Chase shrugged, "Leona is here most of the time, but it does get lonely… except when the ghosts are about."

"You think your mom and dad are haunting the house?" Claudia asked seriously.

Chase couldn't help but laugh. "I actually meant more like the ghost of memories past. I guess you believe in the real thing."

"You don't?" She asked furrowing her brow. "You're a Son of Ipswich. You should know that these things are real."

He shrugged again, "I guess you have a point."

As they pulled up the driveway to the door Claudia saw a pleasantly plump gray haired woman standing on the porch. The front door gaped open behind her and her face was drawn into a frown with her hands clasped tightly in front of her against a crisp white apron.

Claudia nodded in her direction as Chase put the car into park and turned off the ignition. "Is that Leona?" she asked cautiously.

He gave her a sideways glance, "Yeah, that's her."

Claudia narrowed her eyes at him, "She doesn't look too happy."

"Yeah, about that," he laughed nervously. "I actually didn't tell her that you were coming… or that you existed until she confronted me about it a couple of weeks ago…"

"What!" She exclaimed.

Chase held his hands up defensively, "Listen, it's fine. She's pissed at me. It has nothing to do with you, but she's the motherly type so she can be judgmental about girls in general. But I swear, it's fine, really."

"You fucking bastard!" she started to scream, but then rolled her voice down to a whisper as she suspected Leona could probably hear her. "This isn't fair. I'm not prepared for this," she whispered harshly.

"I told you it was fine and it is. Relax. Once she meets you she'll love you." He said reassuringly.

Claudia sank down in her seat. The last thing she needed was Chase's housekeeper to hate her. She was already worried about his friends and if she would fit in with them…

She turned to him and her eyes were a bit watery as if she was trying not to scream and cry all at the same time. "Does she know I'm black, Chase?"

He was caught off guard. "What? What does that have to do with anything?"

She gritted her teeth in frustration. "You know it has to do with everything! If she has a problem with that, it doesn't matter if I'm on my best fucking behavior, she's still going to "disapprove"! And what about your friends? Have you even considered that some of them might have a problem with me because of the color of my skin? I mean, look at where you live! Are there any black people in Haversfield at all?!"

Chase felt like he'd been slapped in the face. He'd never once considered the possibility that Claudia being black might cause a "problem". He couldn't imagine Leona or his friends being that petty or hateful; he still couldn't imagine it, but he couldn't blow it off as nonsense either because he truly didn't know.

He shook his head, "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I didn't even think about it… I'm sorry… but I know that my friends aren't like that and neither is Leona. My parents weren't like that and they raised me to respect everyone. They wouldn't have been friends with or employed someone for decades if they were racist. This I know, so don't write Leona off just yet. She's been like a mother to me and I love her. She'll get over being pissed at me and then everything will be fine."

"You keep saying that," Claudia whispered. She was only half convinced. "I just don't want to be thrown into the lion's den. I came out here to see you and spend time with you, not to be on the defensive."

"I know and I'm sorry. Everything will be good, I swear. Now let's get out of the car and get this over with," he smiled, but his eyes were pleading.

She swung her head around to look out of the passenger side window and think. After a few moments she exhaled deeply and turned back to him, her eyes still a bit watery as if she was doing her damndest not to let the weight of the situation consume her.

"Fine, I'll do this," she said softly, "But if this doesn't go well I'm on the next plane back to L.A."

"Claude, come on—" Chase began.

"No, I'm serious," she cut him off. "There are some things I won't put up with… even for you. And this is one of them. If I get even an inkling that people are judging me over bullshit I'm out of here. Period.

He nodded, "Fine. I get it. I guess that's fair."

"Good," she said as she popped open the car door and began to step out.

* * *

Leona's eyes narrowed as she saw that they were finally getting out of the car.

She was sure that Chase had warned the girl about how protective she was of him and although she fought to keep her face passive, she knew that she had probably been frowning when they'd pulled up to the front of the house, which wasn't a good first impression at all.

But she couldn't help it.

This "girlfriend" had shown up out of nowhere and then, all of the sudden, Chase was in love with someone she'd never met and didn't know anything about. She didn't want to begrudge him love or happiness especially since "mystery girl" made him smile they way he did before his parents died, but she didn't appreciate him not telling her anything.

"Mystery girl" stepped out of the car first and Leona was immediately struck by the girl's lovely dark hair which was shiny and fell in cascades down her back. Then as "mystery girl" turned around to face her she observed two things. One: that she was African American, which to be honest, surprised her and two: that she was very pretty; beautiful even. Now she understood why Chase was so taken with her.

Leona wanted to make sure she was smiling and pleasant before Chase got out of the car, so she set her shoulders back and a bright, rosy cheeked smile spread across her face.

"Welcome to Haversfield House, Ms. Harrington. I'm so excited to finally meet you," She beamed.

Claudia slung her purse over her shoulder and smiled weakly, "It's very nice to meet you, Mrs…" Chase had never told Claudia his housekeeper's last name. He'd always referred to her as Leona.

"It's Tatum, darling, but please call me Leona. I prefer it."

Claudia nodded, "Okay… Leona. Thank you."

"Oh phish-posh," Leona smiled, waving her hand in front of her as if she was shooing the thank you away. "I haven't done anything to warrant such graciousness yet. Come on into the house," she said gesturing Claudia up the porch stairs. "We'll get you settled and warm and stuffed with Christmas cookies and then you can throw around all the 'thank yous' you want.

As she ushered Claudia into the house, Chase gave her a sideways smirk that said he was on to her laying the sweetness on so thick. She wrinkled her nose at him dismissively and disappeared into the house.

Chase shook his head and smiled. It looked like he was going to bring the luggage in all on his own. Good thing Claudia hadn't packed very much.


	14. Card 14: The High Priestess

**Special Note:** Alright, Chase and Claudia are back together and in full swing. They haven't changed all the much, which I suppose is a good thing and I have to say it felt good getting them in the same room together. Claudia is going to be in Haversfield for a while and she still has yet to meet Chase's friends and their families. She also has yet to meet The Covenant, so things should be pretty interesting in the next chapters.

**darkmagus110475: **Thanks for taking the time to review. To answer your questions, The Seekers don't necessarily have special powers specific to their department. They are Deus users just like everyone else although Deus users can be proficient at powers that others don't have. It depends on the person. Basically The Seekers are spies for The Community. Sometimes they are under "deep cover" for long periods of time (like Kate, Higgins, and Gorman), but most of the time they are ordered to find people or things. That is why they are called Seekers… so I guess their special gift is locating/tracking things.

As for The Covenant, they didn't sense that Kate was a user because, 1: she is a Seeker and it is her job not get noticed and 2: their Deus is cut off from the greater entity. It is completely disconnected from the universe, so it's in a magical bubble so to speak. It also has to do with them being so self absorbed and convinced that they are the only ones with power. They simply aren't open to the possibility of someone else using magic… at least not yet.

**This Is Absolution**

**Card 14: The High Priestess**

Chase dropped Claudia's luggage at the foot of the main stairs and took a deep breath.

The doors to his father's study and the formal living and dining rooms were already open, so it was safe to assume that Leona had already given Claudia a brief tour of the ground floor. That was good. Leona was making an effort to make Claudia feel welcome and that was all he could ask for considering how secretive he'd been about her since returning to Haversfield.

He had to admit to himself that he was a little scared about what would happen and how people would react now that Claudia was finally in town. He had grand plans for a wonderful New England Christmas, but people were unpredictable and what Claudia had said about race still lingered at the back of his mind. What if his friends were racist assholes and he'd been oblivious to it all this time?

He shook his head. That would be impossible. Kent, Andy, and Dan were family. Dan was like a brother to him. If he didn't know them, he didn't know anyone and he knew THEM like the back of his hand. Everything was going to be fine. He was freaking out for nothing.

"Chase!" Leona called out. "Is that you? We're in the kitchen. Come and have a cookie and some hot chocolate," she bellowed cheerfully.

Chase smiled as he was pulled from his thoughts and then looked down at the luggage that he would have to carry up to the second floor all by himself.

"Saved by the cookie," he said thoughtfully before heading out of the foyer toward the kitchen. He was hungry anyway and Claudia was waiting for him.

* * *

Claudia was seated at the butcher block island in the middle of the kitchen while Leona prattled on about the history of Haversfield and the Collins estate.

There were gold and silver Christmas decorations everywhere. Beautiful and ornate stars and bells hung from pine and hazelnuts garlands that swung low from the large picture windows. The fire places in the great room, library, and kitchen were blazing, and white candles scented with vanilla were on every end table and mantel. If felt warm and cozy… and not like California at all.

She hunched over the steaming cup of hot chocolate Leona had made for her with a sugar cookie shaped like a Christmas tree in one hand and a gingerbread man in the other. As she contemplated the cookies, trying to decide which one she wanted to eat first, the gravity of actually being in Haversfield hit her like a ton of bricks.

She was in Massachusetts, in Chase's house with the intention of spending both Christmas _and_ New Year with him. She would have to meet his friends who were like family to him. Hell, she'd already met his house keeper and had a tour of the house… his house… her boyfriend's house. All of the sudden things had become too real.

In Arizona they were in a virtual bubble. It was just the two of them… minus his creepy Deus, and they had very little influence from the outside world. But, now there was a tornado of influence coming from every direction and judgment lingering around every corner.

Claudia had never been the social type. She was a bookworm and spent most of her time studying for school or studying for magic. She had a few friends, but not until she'd become older and she'd never been in a situation where appearance and social status were everything; where everyone was on show and nothing was as it seemed. She just hoped that she wouldn't embarrass Chase when she finally made her grand entrance. That last thing she wanted to do was humiliate him in front of his friends and not be "good enough." He had such high expectations for her that she was afraid she wouldn't be able to fulfill them.

"Get out of your own head," Chase whispered in her ear as he stood behind her. She was startled and jumped at the sound of his voice.

Leona was still busy arranging more cookies on a platter and her back was turned, so Chase took the opportunity to cover Claudia right breast with his hand and squeeze ever so slightly. Claudia jumped again and shooed his hand away.

"What's wrong with you?" she scolded in a harsh whisper. "Stop it."

Chase giggled and sat down next to her at the island. "You know I missed you more than anything. The only reason I didn't feel you up on the way home was because I was driving." He thought for a moment and a regretful expression shadowed his face. "We should have pulled over," He said thoughtfully.

"Don't be stupid," she scolded again. "In the car? You wouldn't have gotten past first base."

His body language became serious, "Yeah, about getting past first base. That's something we need to "settle" as soon as possible." He made quotation marks with his fingers.

Claudia's face immediately collapsed into a frown and her shoulders shot up under her ears as she looked away in avoidance and embarrassment. He narrowed his brilliant grey eyes at her reaction and knew something was up although he didn't know what it was exactly.

He leaned toward her, "Now I KNOW we need to talk—"

Leona placed the platter of cookies on the butcher block and then looked at them with mistrust in her eyes. "Look at you two, huddled together and whispering like thieves. What's going on?"

Chace smiled and leaned away from Claudia as he grabbed a sugar cookie, "Nothing's going on. We just haven't seen each other in a while, that's all."

Her mouth pursed into a disbelieving pout, "Right," she said, stretching the word out with emphasis. "Sure."

He laughed, "Your so suspicious, Leona. We're not plotting against you. I said we wouldn't go out tonight and we won't. By the way, what's for lunch?" He wanted to move to another subject quickly.

That seemed to snap the curiosity out of her and she became thoughtful. "Hmm, I think I'm going to warm up the last of the clam chowder. You can have it with the rest of the sourdough and that will give me time to go shopping for dinner and make something really special." She turned to Claudia. "Is left over clam chowder okay? I promise dinner will be a treat."

Claudia nodded, "Chowder is fine. You don't have to do anything special for me."

Leona shooed away Claudia's politeness, "You're our guest. Of course I'd make something special. Besides, this will be fun for me. It's not often that I get to cook for more than one person… well… not anymore." She exhaled heavy and Claudia knew that she was referring to Chase's parents.

There were pictures of them everywhere, in the study and on the coffee and end tables. There was even a portrait of the family that looked to have been painted when Chase was maybe twelve or thirteen. The artist has gotten the glow of his raincloud colored eyes perfectly and his mother was a cute, little woman with short blonde hair and lovely hands.

Chase rolled his eyes. He didn't want to delve into that dark place. Claudia being there was supposed to be a good thing. Not an excuse to bring up the past.

"Okay, so it's settled then. Clam chowder it is," he took a bite of his sugar cookie and then turned to Claudia, swallowing hastily. "Why don't we take your luggage upstairs and get you settled. Lunch should be ready by then."

Claudia nodded and smiled at Leona, "I know my coming was short notice. I hope you didn't have to work too hard readying a room for me."

"Oh," Leona said. Her blue eyes were wide with shock. "Of course we have a guest room ready, but… well… Chase told me you wouldn't need your own room. I just assumed… but I always keep a room ready just in case…"

Claudia's entire body began to burn with mortification. How could she have been so stupid? Of course Leona would assume that she would be staying in Chase's room. Why wouldn't she? She knew that Chase was no virgin and figured, with Claudia being his girlfriend and staying for an extended period of time, that they were already intimate. Little did she know how far from the truth that really was. There was some heavy petting and plenty of kissing, but no actual intercourse. And she didn't want to think about Halloween and what a disaster that was… or the thing with his Deus the day after. The whole thing was such a mess…

"Umm… I understand, but I would really prefer to stay in the guestroom…" Her eyes darted to Chase in a sideways glance and the look on his face was shock mixed with the beginning of full on rage. But she'd made a promise to herself not to consummate their relationship. She couldn't go back on her word… no matter how much she wanted to.

Leona's eyes darted from Claudia to Chase. The tension in the room was palpable. Something unspoken was going on between them and it was about to explode. Leona felt as if she should leave the room and let them have it out, but the old school gossip in her wanted to stay and hear every sordid detail.

However, it wasn't up to her. Chase had already grabbed Claudia by the arm (a bit too forcefully) and tugged her out of the kitchen, leaving the door swinging wide in their wake.

* * *

Chase practically tossed Claudia into his father's study and slammed the door behind them so hard that it echoed down the hall and into the foyer.

She was standing in front of the large desk, rubbing the place on her arm where he'd grabbed her and hauled her out of the kitchen, and she was sinking into an overwhelming feeling of dread. She couldn't remember when she'd become afraid of Chase's rages. Was it when she'd told him about the plot to kill the Five Sons? She couldn't be sure, but she was deathly afraid now; afraid of hurting him and losing him over something as simple as sex.

He stood before her, biting his bottom lip and massaging both temples with his fingers. His eyes were closed as if he were trying to calm himself down and his legs were spread apart in a solid stance, bracing the floor as if he needed the strength to push back against something that was barreling down on him.

He opened his eyes and they were a darker grey, dark with temper that swirled around his pupils. He was struggling to control his anger, struggling not to completely lose it with her.

"What. The. Fuck," he whispered harshly. It wasn't so much a question, but a statement that was tinged with a question.

Claudia was wringing her hands, "I don't know… I just…"

"You just what?"

"I just… I really need my own room."

He stopped massaging his temples and his hands feel down to his sides. He seemed utterly defeated.

"Fine, whatever. I'm not going to argue with you about this. There's no point… It just makes me wonder why you even came out here," he said. He was turning toward the door, all the fight had drained out of him in an instant.

Claudia didn't understand. She was ready for him to yell at her and be angry with her. She was ready to fight with him and stand her ground. In the time that it'd taken them to get from the kitchen to the study she'd played it all out in her head, convinced about the way the argument would go. But this, him giving up in a matter of seconds, was not how it was supposed to go down.

"Wait a minute," she said. He was already at the door, his back facing her, ready to walk away. "That's it? That's all you're going to say? After everything I've done and then to come here and not even want to sleep in the same room with you? That's all you're gonna say?"

He winced at the part about her not wanting to sleep in the same room with him, and then he shook his head. "What do you want me to say? Things haven't changed. You're still playing me like a fiddle, fucking with my head to get your jollies. You knew how much you coming out here meant to me. You know how frustrated I am with this relationship especially after that shit you pulled; sending me back here while I was half asleep. Making me think we were finally going to make love when really you were plotting against me the entire time."

Claudia's eyes began to burn with tears, "I wasn't plotting against you—"

"You should just go home," he whispered. His voice was harsh and thick with defeat. "You don't even want to be here. Why did you even get on the plane?"

Claudia was stunned into silence. She knew that sending him back with a spell while he'd been sleeping was underhanded. She knew that he was angry with her, angry in that "Chase Collins" kind of way that bordered on insanity, but she hadn't realized it had gone that deep. She'd betrayed his trust, and by betraying him the way she had she'd taken the fight out of him. He would need that fighting rage if he was going to survive in June. She'd miscalculated, fucked up royally. How was she going to fix it?

She took a deep breath, "I got on the plane because I love you and I wanted to see you."

"Then why won't you sleep with me?" He questioned roughly, spinning around to face her.

"I have my reasons," she whispered, her eyes shifting to the floor.

"Well that's not good enough," He spat back at her. "I hate to sound like a cliché, but if you loved me you'd sleep with me. I just want to be close to you and show you how I feel. What are you afraid of? Are you afraid of me? You seem standoffish like you're afraid. You were like that as soon as you got off the plane"

"I'm not afraid of you—"

"Then what is it?" He crossed the study in broad strides and grabbed her by both arms.

She could tell he wanted to shake some sense into her, force her to comply and tell the truth. She looked into his eyes, swirling with dark grey. He was struggling to control his rogue Deus although he didn't know it. That was how pissed off and confused he was.

"I… I don't want to get pregnant," she lied.

She caught him by surprise with that one. He narrowed his eyes at her, not sure if he should believe it. In this day and age a girl only got pregnant if she wanted to or didn't know any better, but Claudia wasn't stupid. She was far from it in fact. And there was something about her eyes. They were big and brown and hiding something.

"No!" He shook his head, "You're not worried about getting pregnant. Don't lie to me! You know that's not going to happen."

"Do I really?" she asked, wrenching her arms away from him and stepping back. "No matter how much protection we use or how many pills I take I could still get knocked up. We're talking about THE Deus, more specifically, a BROKEN Deus that needs to move on to a new host and keep the bloodline alive. It's linked to you and your family and if you die without providing a first born son for it to move on to, it will cease to exist! It needs you to breed, Chase, and it will do anything it takes to make sure that happens. Some man-made contraceptives aren't going to stop it."

She'd silenced him and he stepped away, digesting everything she'd just said. He didn't know much about The Deus, but he'd felt its power and its need to survive. He'd been controlled by it and addicted to it. It wanted to keeping going, keep existing for the sake of existing because that was the only way it knew how to be. It made perfect sense that it would manipulate things to make sure an heir was born no matter what. Everything she'd said had been true, but still… she was hiding something. What was she hiding?

"I'm okay with that," he whispered as his eyes shifted away. He was being contrary just for the fuck of it, but the idea of having a baby with Claudia didn't sound bad to him at all. In fact, the thought of it made him oddly happy.

He shifted his eyes back to her and they were dark and determined. "I'm okay with that," He said again, only more loudly. "We could have a baby. If it's the will of The Deus and it's going to happen anyway then what's the problem?"

And then he started to smile, a horrible, plotting, "Chase Collins" kind of smile that made Claudia's stomach began to turn and twist into knots.

"You're insane," she said in astonishment. "Your 18 years old and you want to have a baby? You haven't even started college yet. What are you going to do with a kid?"

He tensed up immediately at her mentioning his age and the six year age difference between them. He didn't need to be reminded that he was younger than her and she had no clue that it was a sensitive subject for him. He was already going to have a hard enough time explaining it to his friends and their parents. He was sure everyone thought she was 19 or 20 at the most.

"Look, it's not like I'm hurting for money. Our child will have the best of everything and you'd be a great mother. We're going to get married anyway—I just don't see what the problem is," He shrugged.

"Maybe I'm not ready to have a baby. Maybe I want to wait a little longer."

"Well, it's not like your getting any younger," he said matter-of-factly. He was deliberately taking a jab at her, trying to upset her like she'd upset him.

Every hair on her body bristled. "Now you're just being an ass because you're mad at me! It takes two to have a baby and two to get married, and I'm not agreeing to either one! I decide my life, not you! And yes, I will be staying in a separate room from you. Any chance you had of getting me to change my mind is now gone!" She pushed past him, elbowing him in the gut on her way, and swinging the study door open with sweeping force.

She was fuming from head to toe and had decided in a split second that she wouldn't even bother staying in a separate room from him. She'd seen her luggage at the foot of the stairs and she planned to grab it and haul it outside to wait for a cab. She was going back to Los Angeles. She wasn't going to spend another second in the same house with him.

"You're not going back to L.A." He said as he coiled his arm around her waist and hauled her back while slamming the study door.

Claudia staggered against him and struggled to regain her balance. She tried to shake loose from his hold, but he had her like a vice-grip, holding her against him as he spun around toward the direction of his desk.

She slapped at his hands. "Let go of me!" she roared. "So I sent you back while you were sleeping, so what! So I'm not dropping my panties and swooning like a slut over you like all the other whores you know, big deal! You're an egotistical little bastard and I don't know what the hell I saw in you in the first place!! And don't read my thoughts!!"

He slapped his hand over her mouth. "Will you shut up and calm down. Leona's going to hear you."

At that, Leona knocked on the door and both of them froze at the sound of her voice. "Is everything alright in there?" She asked cautiously. "I thought I heard yelling?"

He still had his hand clamped over her mouth and she was breathing ragged breaths through her nose, but she'd stopped trying to wiggle out of his grip.

"_If I take my hand away, will you stay quiet?_" He asked with his mind.

His voice whispered in her ears and her head although he hadn't actually spoken a word and the sensation caught her off guard. She was not blessed with telepathy like some other Deus users.

She exhaled through her nose deeply and then nodded her head in confirmation. "_Yes, I'll be quiet_," she thought and then her eyes shifted up to his face to see if he'd heard her.

"Good," he said aloud and then let her go.

He stalked over to the door to let Leona in and as he did, Claudia brought the back of her hand up to her mouth where he'd muzzled her. She could still feel his hand there, clamping down.

Chase opened the door and they were both met with the inquiring gaze of Leona, which was mixed with both curiosity and suspicion.

"Is everything alright?" She asked again, her eyes shifting from Chase to Claudia and back again.

"Everything is fine," Chase answered with a winning smile. "We just had to hash out the room thing, but it's cool. Claudia's going to stay in her own room for now. She's worried about what people will think, you know."

Leona's brows creased with concern as she looked at Claudia and nodded her head as if she understood completely. "I don't blame you, dear. The people around her can be pretty conservative about these sorts of things although most of them have more skeletons in their closets than a graveyard," she snipped.

She raised her hand and mimed shooing the whole thing away and then slung her purse over her arm. She was already in her winter coat and looked as if she was about to leave. "I'm headed to the store to pick up dinner and some things for the house and for Claudia. Like I said, I heard yelling and wanted to check in before I left."

"Everything is fine. You can go ahead and go," Chase smiled.

She eyed him with a skeptical look and then focused on Claudia.

Claudia nodded (maybe a little too eagerly) and smiled. "Everything is fine, really. We were having a little disagreement, but it's over now."

Leona nodded again as if she was satisfied and then turned her attention back to Chase. "I'll put everything on the credit card and give you the receipts for the books."

"It's alright, Leona. I gave you the card to use however you like. I don't need receipts," Chase shrugged.

"Well I feel better giving them to you anyway," she said dismissively. "I'll be back in a few hours. The Chowder is on the stove and ready. I've set the kitchen table for you," and then she turned to leave.

"Thank you," Claudia said kindly.

Leona looked over her shoulder and gave her a smile before disappearing into the foyer with the click of the front door following soon after.

Chase turned around and rolled his eyes. "She likes you… a lot. She's already being protective of you, even against me."

"She's just being nice," Claudia said softly. "She's being a good hostess."

"Right," Chase said sarcastically, drawing the word out for emphasis.

Claudia frowned, "I thought you wanted her to like me."

"I do," he said. "But I don't need two chicks ganging up on me every five minutes. One is enough." He said this with an insinuating smile as he crossed the study to stand in front of her.

She folded her arms across her chest defensively and stepped back, turning her face away so she wouldn't have to look at him. He could feel the anger vibrating off of her. She was still extremely pissed off at him.

"So it's going to be like that then?" He said softly, his voice thick and husky. He'd actually gotten off on their little fight. He missed mixing it up with Claudia.

She sensed his desire immediately and stepped away. "We've already had this conversation, Collins. I'm too upset to even think about having sex with you and you know it. I think you're just waiting for an excuse to force me."

Instead of anger at the insinuation of violence, he met her remark with a sly smirk and stepped closer, enjoying her sudden intake of breath at his closeness. "Considering what a bitch you've been I wouldn't put it past me. You owe me for a lot of dirty shit, Claudia and you know it."

Claudia sidestepped him and rolled her eyes as she headed to the door. "I don't owe you a fucking thing," she snapped.

He smirked as he watched her walk away. "Where are you going? If you think you're going to back to L.A. you're crazy."

Her shoulders stiffened at his condescending tone, but she answered him anyway. "I'm going to the kitchen. I'm hungry." She was out of the door and halfway down the hall before he could say anything more.

* * *

Chase stayed in the study listening to the echo of her footsteps as she walked back to the kitchen and chided himself for overreacting, yet again.

He was this close to ruining everything.

Sure, he'd had big plans for Christmas and New Year, and yes those plans did involve finally consummating his relationship with Claudia with actual physical contact, but he was getting reckless and hotheaded.

He already knew that she wouldn't stand for being pressured and as much as he enjoyed fighting with her and making her angry, he needed a soft touch. There would be plenty of time for vicious fights and make-up sex AFTER he finally got her into bed. He just needed to figure out a surefire way to make that happen.


	15. Card 15: Page of Pentacles

**Special Note:** This chapter does move the plot along a little and gives you a view into what Chase and Claudia are thinking and feeling. As I said before, I've decided to give Sarah a larger part in the story which means Kate and Higgins will have larger parts too. We'll have to flesh out the holidays and Claudia meeting Chase's friends, but rest assured the story will refocus on the overall plot and The Covenant in the New Year as the Torrances will be coming to town. I also hope to start adding some action to the story and get deeper into the serial killer angle as well. Enjoy and please review.

**This Is Absolution**

**Card 15: Page of Pentacles**

Sarah was vaulted upright in her bed with her fingers coiled around her throat like a vice. She tried to wrench her hands away, but instead they tighten, attempting to squeeze the life out of her already exhausted body. Her eyes watered and she was overcome with panic, panic at the realization that her body was not under her control, and that she was trapped in an oppressive darkness that was wrapped around her like a death shroud.

She fought against the shroud, trying to rip it away with her elbows like a spider's cocoon and then she tumbled to the floor, hitting the hardwood with a thud that sent an excruciating pain radiating down her leg and lower back.

Kate was only half way through the open door with her key still in the lock when she saw Sarah writhing on the floor, caught up in another nightmare. She tossed her purse onto the bed and darted toward her, falling down onto her knees to try and uncoil her from the tangle of sheets she'd wrapped herself in. She could tell that she was panicking and briskly grabbed her by the arms and shook her. "Sarah! Wake up! I'm trying to untangle you, but you've got to stay still for me. It's just a dream. Wake Up!"

Sarah's eyes shot open at the sound of Kate's voice and she stilled for a moment which was just enough time for Kate to yank the sheet from her head.

Kate was startled at the look of her roommate's wide, bloodshot eyes. They were full of terror with hot, salty tears streaming down the sides of her face and her hair was stuck like glue to her forehead and cheeks. Kate shook her head to focus and ripped the rest of the sheet way from her, exposing her upper body with her sweat soaked nightgown clinging to her like a second skin.

Sarah's hands immediately shot out and pushed the sheet down her legs, kicking at it frantically as it slid across the hardwood floor. She backed away from it until she was flush against her nightstand, sending her reading lamp toppling on its side and knocking her cellphone to the floor. Her eyes were still wide and unblinking, and she stared at the sheet as if it would spring to life and wrap around her like a boa constrictor hungry for its next meal.

Kate gripped Sarah by the chin and tried to force her to look away from the knotted white thing on the floor, "Sarah, what the hell—" but her words were snatched out of her mouth at the sight of her roommates neck which was imprinted with bruises in the shape of fingers as if someone had tried to strangle the poor girl into oblivion.

Sarah's eyes were still focused on the sheet accusingly although Kate had a hold of her chin. Kate exhaled and then shook Sarah's head gently, trying to get her attention. "Sarah, it was just a dream. Snap out of it. It's 11 o'clock in the morning and you're safe in our room. The sheet isn't going to hurt you. Nothing's going to hurt you. Do you understand? Sarah!"

Sarah snapped her eyes to Kate and to her relief she finally seemed to wake up. "I was trapped," she whispered in exhaustion. "I was in the dark and it was hot, and arms were wrapped around me… I couldn't breathe… I was being strangled… I was strangling myself… but it wasn't me… it was, but it wasn't." Fresh tears began to well in her eyes.

"It's alright," Kate said as she slid down next to her against the nightstand and put a comforting arm around her. Sarah let her head loll against Kate's shoulder as a sob shook her and draw her knees up to her chin, hugging them against her chest in utter vulnerability and defeat.

Kate caressed her hair absently and cooed to her. "Everything is going to be fine. It was just a dream. It wasn't real. You're fine and in your dorm room at Spenser and it's broad daylight, no darkness in sight."

Sarah relaxed under her arm and seemed to calm down, but Kate was anything but calm.

Kate's tragically unlucky roommate had been having nightmares since her return from Toronto and likely the entire time she'd been gone. At first she'd assumed that it was typical post trauma from her run in with Chase, but now, seeing the very real bruises on Sarah's neck, she knew that something or someone was tormenting the girl and getting into her dreams.

Was it Chase? No, not likely.

From what Higgins had told her about his chat with Tyler, Pogue, and Reid, he'd made it clear that he was over fucking with them. But then again, Chase was completely insane and had every reason to lie; however… despite the obvious conclusion, Kate didn't think this was Chase's doing. It just didn't seem like him. He wouldn't go after Sarah again; he would go straight after Caleb or better yet, Pogue, as Sarah was more trouble than she was worth. Chase was indeed quite mad, but he was not stupid and wouldn't bother fussing with an old plan that had already failed.

So, who else would want to mess with Sarah's head like that? Was it possible that someone new was gunning for Caleb and The Covenant that the Community had overlooked?

It _was_ possible, and plainly obvious that she was going to have to corner Higgins and tell him about the new development. He was already shitting his pants over Chase being back in town and he still hadn't told HQ that he'd located the rogue Ipswich Son, which was an entirely different can of worms in its self.

She didn't know what Higgins was planning or if he would be able to handle yet another addition to the Ipswich fiasco, but he was obviously building a bomb and squirreling way information as collateral. This new thing with Sarah would certainly add to the mix and could be useful to both of them if played right.

Whether that was good or bad… she didn't know, but she was definitely excited to find out.

* * *

Claudia was horrified to find out that Leona was not a live in housekeeper, but instead lived in the small village of Tinsley just outside Haversfield which is where most of the "help" for the wealthy suburb made their homes.

She had to admit that she'd felt a little betrayed when Leona had walked into the entertainment room after dinner, fully dressed in her winter coat and her purse tucked under her arm to announce that she was heading home for the evening and would be back at 5am sharp, as usual.

Chase couldn't help but let a light smirk danced on his lips at the look of utter horror that flashed across Claudia's face. How could Leona be so cruel to her? How could she leave her alone in the house, completely defenseless against this wolf with bared fangs?

The wolf was Chase of course, and he was getting a little too much pleasure out of watching Claudia jump to her feet and inquire frantically as to why Leona lived in the village when she could live there in that huge and magnificent house (as if she could convince her to move in that very night). But, despite Claudia's best efforts, it hadn't mattered why Leona chose to live in Tinsley. She'd still gotten into her car and gone home, leaving Claudia to sit next to her boyfriend (and enemy) as he flipped through an endless array of satellite channels before settling on _The Grinch Who Stole Christmas_ with that annoying smirk still tap dancing on his lips.

It had made her angry, but it had also made her hyper aware, and she'd convinced herself that Chase would sneak into her room and attempt to seduce her… or force her into sleeping with him.

But he hadn't.

At around 10 o'clock he'd showed her upstairs to the guestroom, politely kissed her goodnight, and retreated back down the hall to his own room, shutting the door behind him.

Claudia had waited up half the night expecting him to crawl into bed with her, but she was left completely alone. And now, as she settled onto the sofa in the sunroom and stretched out like a cat to look out on the dormant, but still lovely gardens dusted with frost, she was pissed.

Why she was pissed, she wasn't sure, but she was… extremely.

_You're pissed because you wanted him to sneak into your room last night. You want to make love to him more than you've wanted anything in your life, but you're too chicken shit to admit it. You want him to do it so that you don't have to, so that you remain blameless. The helpless little innocent seduced by the evil and irresistible Putnam Boy. Pathetic._

Claudia sighed and stared up at the ornate plaster ceiling of the sunroom. It was snaked with detailed roses and intricate vines that were the work of a master, and as she contemplated the quality of craftsmanship that went into that ceiling, she knew that her annoying inner voice (which had resurfaced after a long period of silence) was right.

She had come up with the excuse that she didn't want to sleep with Chase because it would be too painful for her if he died, but was that really the reason? Chase could very possibly not make it when everything went down in June, but what would be more painful; having loved him and shared her most intimate self with him completely, or having held back and not given herself to him at all?

She knew she would regret never having made love with him if he did die. She could tell herself over and over again that those memories of bodies entwined would make it hurt more, but that was not the truth. The truth was that those memories of their passionate moments would keep her warm at night and make her feel as if it wasn't all for nothing.

Then again she could end up dying too and the whole dilemma would be moot… which brought up an entirely different dilemma… Did she really want to die a virgin?

"Shit!" she hissed, turning over on the sofa and tucking a throw pillow under her head viciously.

The last thing she wanted to do was die never knowing what it was like to be with a man. She had always felt that way and now that she was with Chase, had kissed him and caressed him and been aroused by him, she felt that way more than ever.

She chided herself for overestimating her willpower and how her body would react to being in the same house with him. She'd had a hard enough time keeping her hands off him in Arizona. Did she really think that she'd be able to stay away from him now that she'd admitted to herself and to him that she loved him?

It would be so easy for her to just give in and let him have her. It would be wonderful. He loved her and she wouldn't regret it, she would revel in it and be a better person for it. She could already feel his hands on her, gliding over her skin, touching her softly… sweetly…

"Wait a minute," she whispered aloud, snapping herself out of the wistful daydream. "I'm still angry with him. I'm still pissed. He doesn't get off that easily."

_Honey, you're running out of time. You're not going to be on this side of the country forever, so you'd better let him off the hook before you're back in California untouched and as pure as the newly driven snow. Besides, the Torrances are coming. This could be your last opportunity to spend time with him without anyone watching._

Ah, yes, the Torrance Sisters.

Claudia has almost forgotten about them. She'd been so wrapped up in visiting Chase that she'd overlooked the much bigger problem she was facing, and the fact that she hadn't figured out a solution to it yet.

Stopping the invocation and doing something about Angela, Amy, and Agnes made worrying about getting laid by Chase trivial at best, but she could only focus on one thing at a time and this WAS supposed to be her vacation.

She had explicit instructions from Martin to "relax and have a good time." If only she wasn't having such a hard time doing just that.

* * *

Chase sat on the brick steps that protruded from the patio at the back of the house. The formal gardens stretched out before him, dormant in its winter sleep and the cold that permeated the air pierced his heavy coat and chilled his bones.

But that was okay.

He needed to cool off and get his wits about him again because Claudia was driving him crazy. And not just in an irritating, confrontational, smartass kind of way, but in a teasing, sexually frustrating kind of way that got under his skin and burned like hell.

He closed his eyes and shook his head in disgust and regret as he remembered how much willpower it had taken for him to gently kiss her goodnight and walk away, leaving her in the guestroom and he in his own room to suffer the ache of wanting her desperately.

She'd probably been in bed, her legs locked tightly together in unrepentant chastity as she smiled in a dreamy sleep, while he tossed and turned and contemplated touching himself only to toss the idea knowing that it wouldn't compare to actually being inside her.

To finally be inside her… her warm, soft body pressed against his as she arches under him… Her supple lips parted in a breathless sigh of agonizing pleasure as he thrusts into her, making her take every inch of him… filling her so completely that she shutters against him in the first of a string of deep and wanton releases…

"Dear lord," he sighed as he ripped himself away from a fantasy about to go too far. "Why is she torturing me like this? Why does she fucking hate me?"

But did she really hate him or was she just holding onto her precious pride?

He assumed it was a little of both.

There was a part of Claudia that hated him for being "The Putnam Boy" and a wizard of Ipswich. It was bad enough that he was barely out of high school, but he had to be one of The Five Sons too. It just didn't seem fair, but the other part was indeed her pride.

She had gone so long thinking that no man had ever been attracted to her that the thought of Chase being utterly in love and in lust with her was absurd. She was probably thinking there had to be a catch or that he wasn't serious, but for her to still think that his feelings weren't genuine… Well, what more did he have to do, write her a sonnet in blood?

He chuckled. Yes, she would probably demand something like that or similar just to fuck with his head. That was so Claudia's style, demanding that he slit his wrist and write a heartbreakingly romantic sonnet on gilded paper just to appease her and prove his worth. And he would do it too… if she asked him.

His hands were stuffed in his pockets and he hugged his coat tighter around him to ward off the cold. A plume of hot breath dissipated into the chilly December air and he smiled at how stupid he'd been to take his easy way with women for granted.

His last conquest had been Megan, the bane of his mother's existence, and a simple fling at best.

No, not even a fling, but a one night stand in the darkened media room of the Talbots summer house. He was half drunk and she had been after him for the better part of the school year, so he indulged her. Not necessarily because he liked her, although she was an attractive girl, but simply because she was there, throwing herself at him shamelessly… just like she'd thrown herself at Dan shamelessly (he came to find out later), and that hadn't sat well with him at all, despite the fact that he and Dan had… _shared_ girls before and that Megan was a notorious slut.

No, It had really been about the way she'd used her conquests to solidify her reputation as the ultimate vixen. She'd been able to bed both Dan Talbot and Chase Collins in the course of a weekend, and didn't that make her something special. Girls hated her and boys coveted her because if Chase _and_ Dan had nailed her, then she must be a very talented girl.

Chase frowned and thought about his mother and how she had warned him off Megan much too late. If she'd found out about what had happened that weekend at the Talbot lake house she would have blown her top… and she would have found out eventually… had she lived past Chase's 18th birthday.

Needless to say, his 10 minute tryst with Megan had been unsatisfying (as he hardly remembered it), which made the round and round with Claudia that much more insufferable.

He'd never had sex with someone he really loved and he wanted to know what it was like to not only feel the act physically, but intimately and emotionally as well. And to be truthful, part of it was ego. He wanted to be her first. He didn't necessarily need to be her last, but he had to be her first, with no exception. He didn't know why that was so important, but it was, extremely.

So now it was his time to plot and sort out his plans.

He and Claudia were scheduled to have a dinner date with Dan and some girl he was messing around with. That dinner would be in Boston and he figured they could go into the city early and do some shopping and have lunch. He was especially looking forward to the cute little French lingerie shop he'd found and wanted Claudia to explore. Maybe she'd find something she liked, but even if she didn't, he'd find something _he_ liked and buy it for her anyway.

Then there were the numerous parties they were invited to. He wouldn't be able to get out of the party Allison was throwing as she was dying to meet Claudia, but at least it would be an older crowd and not a bunch of high school kids. There was also the blessing of having Christmas dinner with just the two of them as Leona would be with her brother in Boston…

Chase sighed and huddled in his coat. There was so much going on, it was almost overwhelming, but he had to admit that he was enjoying every minute of it. However, there was a dark cloud looming and it wasn't going to go away.

It was Caleb and The Covenant.

Caleb had yet to get in contact with him about his little visit to Ipswich and although it was only December and they had months before the invocation, he still had lots of convincing to do.

Despite his need to completely cut ties with the lot of them, he knew that he and Caleb would have to have it out and get over their shit if they were to have a fighting chance in June. He supposed he could blame Caleb's lack of contact on the serial murders that were plaguing Ipswich. They'd made the national news and it seemed to be a big deal, but that wouldn't have anything to do with The Covenant. Surely they weren't sticking their noses in police affairs too, although, you never knew with those guys. They assume everything is their business.

Whatever it was, it didn't matter. First on his priority list was bedding Claudia and giving her the best New England Christmas and New Year she'd ever had. Then he could worry about The Covenant and the invocation… maybe.


	16. Card 16: Seven of Cups

**Special Note:** This chapter is aimed at moving the plot along so there is no Chase and Claudia, but rest assured they will be back next update. I've decided to give Kate a bigger part then first intended, and I've also decided to do a little more with Reid's character as well. He's pretty much going to have his own story arch as will Tyler which should be fun to write. And thanks to everyone for being patient between updates. I really appreciate everyone who's stuck with me all this time.

**This Is Absolution**

**Card 16: Seven of Cups**

Kate managed to keep her composure and avoid looking like a crazy person until she was faced to face with Gorman on a secluded patch of land at the north end of the Danvers formal gardens.

"I think Sarah is being haunted!!" she exclaimed breathlessly as she pushed shiny, brown strands of hair out of her face, and let her defenses down to show how frightened really she was.

Kate had shown up at the Danvers main house unexpectedly on a bright, but bitterly cold Saturday morning. She'd stood at the front door and demanded to see Gorman who was just finishing his morning bowl of fiber laden oatmeal in the kitchen. She'd been so "forceful" that he'd heard her on his own, despite the size of the gothic mansion, and knew that if she was begging to see him so early in the morning, it must have been an emergency.

So there they were, standing in the frost after a good trek down the gravel walkway that split the garden into tow equal parts with their breath dissipating before their faces, and Gorman's eyes wide at Kate's accusation.

"You think Sarah is haunted?"

"Yes!" Kate exclaimed again, nodding her head frantically. "It all started when I walked in on her having a nightmare a couple of days ago. I mean, since the whole thing with Collins went down she's had trouble sleeping, but not like this, this is scary, this I don't know how to handle!!"

She was going a mile a minute, barely pausing between sentences.

Gorman grabbed her firmly with both hands and shook her gently to snap her out of it. "You're going too fast. Calm down. I'll help you, Kate, but you have to slow down. Why haven't you told Higgins about this?"

Kate shook her head again, "I can't. I was going to, but the more I think about it, the more I think it would be a bad idea. I just don't know what he's planning. This could hurt me so I don't want to tell him, not until I know where he stands… he's acting weird."

"You don't trust him? Why not?" Gorman was shocked by this. Higgins and Tunney had been partners since she was a child just transferred to Spenser. He was like a father to her and now she was questioning him?

She started to tear up, "He hasn't told The Community about Chase. He's holding onto the info and I don't know why. He hasn't told me anything. Higgins is a company man, why wouldn't he tell them right away? And why wouldn't he tell me what he's up to? I wouldn't betray him. I may not choose to go with him, but I would never betray him."

She was rambling on again and Gorman shushed her. "Okay, forget about Higgins for now. We'll deal with that later; what about Sarah? Why do you think she's being haunted?"

"I told you it started with the nightmares."

"Everyone has nightmares, Kate. That doesn't mean they're haunted."

Kate was frustrated and ran her fingers through her hair roughly, "I know that! Sarah's are different. At first they were run of the mill, but they've gotten progressively worse, and then last night… last night it got out of control. There was something in the room with us… a presence, I could feel it, and it was torturing the fuck out of Sarah. Like physically hurting her, and when I tried to wake her up, you know, to stop it, that's when it turned on me. The fucking thing threw me across the room and then it stopped. It left, but it'll be back. I know it will. It's targeting her."

"And you're sure it's not Chase Collins. You're positive about that?"

"Yes! This was not Chase. His Deus is unique, but this… it didn't feel like Deus at all. IT was old as fuck and dark… like a bottomless bit or a black hole. I've never felt anything like it."

Gorman stepped away from her and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his heavy coat. He turned his face up to the winter sun and closed his eyes as he tried to think.

Sarah being haunted… It just didn't make sense to him, but then again this was Ipswich. It had a long history and its fair share of ghosts just like the other New England Colonies. But most of the ghosts where harmless; lost souls trapped in time, reliving events from their past lives and completely oblivious to the changing, "mortal" world around them. There had maybe been one or two violent or aggressive hauntings that he could remember and those were linked to the Revolutionary War. People with money would buy historical homes and attempt to fix them up only to disturb the spirits that still lingered there. Spencer, however, was built by The Five Sons to educate their wealthy progeny and certain precautions had been taken to avoid this very thing. It was unlikely that Spencer was harboring a spirit. So maybe what Kate was sensing wasn't a spirit at all, or at least not the spirit of someone who was already dead.

Gorman turned back to Kate, "I'm having a hard time believing that it's a ghost you're dealing with, but I know that you wouldn't come to me if you could handle this yourself. And if it is a spirit of the dead, then it isn't your regular old poltergeist. You were right to ask for help… However, Higgins is the headmaster of Spencer. He should be told about this."

Kate shook her head. "No, not yet. Help me find out what it is and what to do about it and then we can tell Higgins. I want to get this resolved before the Torrances get here after the New Year. I don't want to have to deal with them."

"You're going to have to deal with them, Kate. It's unavoidable."

Kate shook her head again and crossed her arms against her chest defiantly. "Whatever, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. But right now I have to deal with Sarah and this thing that's fucking with her. That is my priority right now."

"Okay," Gorman said softly as if he understood. "I'm going to give you a spell and ingredients to a talisman to put under Sarah's bed. It will create a protection barrier and if done right, will send any negative energy she's receiving back to the source. You'll have to go to Boston to get the stuff though. I know a guy who runs a shop. He'll have everything you'll need."

"Great, write it down. I can drive there today," Kate said and extended her hand to shake his. "Thank you for your help. I appreciate it. I won't forget this."

* * *

Reid's face collapsed into a frown as he stared into the face of one Kylie Burke.

She'd been pretty with chocolate brown hair and green eyes… or so the police report description had said, which was all he could go on considering her eye sockets were now void of any optical flesh.

He let his own eyes glide over her naked torso which was grey from decomposition. Medical sutures crisscrossed crudely, protruding from her skin post autopsy. And she seemed hollowed out, as her skin began to sink and sag in places internal organs had once been.

"Looks a bit like Frankenstein's monster," he said softly.

The fluorescent lights flickered above as the intern peered over his shoulder. "Yeah, they don't bother making it look pretty. It's not like the "patients" that come here are going to notice."

Reid rolled his eyes as the intern's matter-of-fact tone and then quickly tossed the sheet back over Kylie's head to cover up the grotesque display.

"Do they have an idea as to why the killer only took the eyes?" he asked as he peeled away the latex gloves he'd snatched from the supply cabinet.

The intern shrugged, "They didn't just take the eyes. They took the heart, liver and stomach too. She was empty when she got here, just like the other ones."

Reid raised an eyebrow, "So internal organs were taken from all the girls?"

The intern smiled, "I take it you haven't seen the coroner's reports."

"No, just the police reports," Reid admitted.

"Well," the intern smiled slyly, "That is going to cost you extra."

"Of course it is," Reid sighed as he tossed the gloves into the trash can beside the gurney. "Why don't you wheel her back into the fridge and then get those reports for me, okay?"

The intern nodded, "As you wish, Mr. Garwin. It's always a pleasure doing business."

* * *

Reid was bitter about having to dip into his savings account to bribe a few local authorities, but he had to admit that it was better than trying to get the information by using on his own. Besides, Caleb and the others had already flaked on him, and something as complicated as digging up a grave or breaking into a morgue was more than he could handle alone. Their powers were always strongest when they used together. Otherwise he'd be taking too much of a risk.

But he was okay.

He'd made great strides in his investigation of the murders at Ipswich, no thanks to his covenant brothers, and he was feeling pretty confident about his theory as to what was going on.

It was obvious that the killer was collecting organs, but why was still baffling him, and why go on a killing spree in Ipswich? Ipswich was small with few places to hide. Wasn't the killer worried about being exposed in such a sleepy town where everyone pretty much knew everyone else?

The logical conclusion would be that the killer was a local, but that didn't seem to fit. The killer had outlander written all over them. Ipswich was not a town to them; it was purely a hunting ground. Some place they could stalk and kill.

So where did that leave him?

The killer was an outsider. They preyed on attractive girls under 25 who worked the nightshift at minimum wage jobs. They were collecting the victims organs with what looked like surgical precision and they hadn't gone after a Spenser girl yet, although they'd come pretty close as the first victim was killed in the Spenser border woods just feet from the campus. Coincidence? Possibly, or maybe the killer was staying away from Spenser for a reason… Like maybe the killer was from Spenser and didn't want to be tracked back to their home base.

Reid scratched his head and exhaled as he struggled with coming to that conclusion. It didn't necessarily conflict with his theory about the killer not being a local. Most of the students and faculty at Spenser were from out of state or out of country. Spenser was an elite boarding school after all, but still… someone from Spenser being a serial killer? Setting aside Chase Collins (who surprisingly enough wasn't a suspect), didn't sit well with Reid at all.

Reid took a sip of his orange juice as he flipped through the purchased autopsy reports. Half the stuff written in them he didn't understand, so he'd stopped by the Spenser library before heading to Ipswich Corner Diner and picked up a medical dictionary. That helped a little, but not very much although he was getting the gist of what had happened to the victims and how they had been killed.

It was pretty gruesome and had put him off his pancake breakfast which was now sitting at the corner edge of the booth getting cold.

He sighed as he flipped pages and was assaulted by an autopsy picture that had one of the girls torso spread out and gaping open to document her missing organs.

How delightful.

He quickly flipped past, read something he'd recognized from a previous report and dug through the piles of papers to locate said report and cross reference.

That is when he heard the bell on the Diner door jingle as it swung open and then slammed shut against the cold. He looked up from his research and an annoying feeling thumped in his chest as he saw _her_; the Native American chick from the western states tucked snuggly into a pair of jeans and a winter coat.

Her hair was pulled back into a severe ponytail accentuating her high cheek bones and browned skin. She hadn't bothered to take off her heavy sunglasses as she'd entered the Diner, and she had on mid-calf combat boots secured rigidly over her jeans with red lipstick painted careful on her lips… as usual.

Apparently this was her causal look as she'd chosen jeans over her usual well tailored dark suits. However, there was still something straight laced and official about her that wasn't going to change with an exchange of clothes. Maybe it was the way she stood broad stance and erect at the counter register as she paid for her take-out and grabbed the two plastic bags packed with Styrofoam boxes.

As if she felt his eyes on her, she spun around on her heel, looked at him for what seemed like an eternity and then turned away, exiting the same way she'd come.

_What the fuck_, Reid thought as the door closed shut behind her.

He slid across the banquet of the booth he occupied and peered out of the window to watched her cross Main Street to the motel located directly adjacent the Diner. He narrowed his eyes with disdain and confusion as he watched her enter her room.

He could still feel her eyes on him, piercing into him despite those dark glasses. She'd looked him up and down like she'd done before, contemplated who he was and what he was doing for only a second, and then dismissed him just as quickly. As if he hadn't existed at all.

How fucking annoying.

Reid set back in the booth and stewed. He was determined to find out whom that woman and her partner were and what they were doing in Ipswich. He knew they were some sort of law enforcement, but from which agency?

It didn't matter. He was going to find out eventually just like he was going to find out who was stalking young girls and stealing their organs.

He let a smile touch his lips at how focused and studious he was being.

This time _he_ would be the hero and the savior. Caleb Danvers could kiss his ass.


End file.
